Multi-functional display device having a channel map and method of controlling the same

ABSTRACT

A multi-functional display device having a channel map and a method for controlling the same are disclosed herein. The multi-functional display device may include a display, an input interface, a network interface for communicating with at least one second multi-functional display device, and a controller for controlling a display of the channel map and content associated with a channel selected in the channel map. The channel map may include a first channel number associated with a broadcast channel and a channel name for the first channel, and a second channel number associated with a social network service (SNS) account for an individual or entity and an SNS channel name for the second channel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of the U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 61/441,632, filed on Feb. 10, 2011, the U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 61/479,865, filed on Apr. 28, 2011, the Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2011-0086597, filed in Korea on Aug. 29, 2011, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

A multi-functional display device having a channel map and a method forcontrolling the same are disclosed herein.

2. Background

Multi-functional display devices having a channel map and methods forcontrolling the same are known. However they suffer from variousdisadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to thefollowing drawings in which like reference numerals refer to likeelements wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of anexemplary embodiment for a broadcast system in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an exemplaryembodiment for a server in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an exemplaryembodiment for an electronic device in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a screen onwhich a Web page of a Social Network Service (SNS) is displayed;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an exemplaryembodiment of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for designation of ahuman address is displayed;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for designation of a channel number is displayed;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating one example of a screen on which theresult of assigning a human address to a channel number is displayed;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a screen onwhich a menu is displayed;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which another exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for designation of a human address is displayed;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which another exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for designation of a human address is displayed;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which a further exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for designation of a human address is displayed;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment for a humanchannel map;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of oneexemplary embodiment for a method of constructing a human channel map inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment for a method of constructing a humanchannel map in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating one exemplary embodiment of a screenon which a human channel map and content of a selected human channel aredisplayed;

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary embodiment of ascreen on which a human channel map and content of a selected humanchannel are displayed;

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a further exemplary embodiment of ascreen on which a human channel map and content of a selected humanchannel are displayed;

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment for a method of providing a human channel servicein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of oneexemplary embodiment for a method of receiving content of a humanchannel;

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anotherexemplary embodiment for a method of receiving content of a humanchannel;

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of afurther exemplary embodiment for a method of receiving content of ahuman channel;

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating a method of setting up connectionbetween two electronic devices;

FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of anotherexemplary embodiment of a broadcast system in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a NetworkAddress Translation (NAT) table;

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of an addressmatching table recorded in a server;

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment for a method of setting up connection between twoelectronic devices;

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which one exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for setting up a human channel is displayed;

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating a screen in a state in which a humanaddress is being dragged on the displayed GUI of FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which another exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for setting up a human channel is displayed;

FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating a screen in a state in which a humanaddress is being dragged on the displayed GUI of FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for setting up a channel is displayed;

FIG. 32 is a diagram illustrating a screen in a state in which a humanaddress is being dragged on the displayed GUI of FIG. 31;

FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating a screen in a state in which abroadcast channel, a human address and an App channel are dragged onto achannel number region of the displayed GUI of FIG. 31;

FIGS. 34A and 34B are flowcharts illustrating an implementationprocedure of a further exemplary embodiment for a method of constructinga channel map in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 35 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a broadcastscreen on which a human channel map is displayed;

FIG. 36 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a screenfor invitation to view a channel;

FIG. 37 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of anotherexemplary embodiment of a broadcast system in accordance with thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 38 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an exemplaryembodiment for a channel invitation packet;

FIG. 39 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a screendisplayed when invitation to view a channel is made;

FIG. 40 is a diagram illustrating one exemplary embodiment of a guidancemessage with regard to invitation to view a channel;

FIG. 41 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary embodiment of aguidance message with regard to invitation to view a channel;

FIG. 42 is a diagram illustrating a further exemplary embodiment of aguidance message with regard to invitation to view a channel;

FIGS. 43A and 43B are diagrams illustrating an exemplary embodiment of ascreen displayed when invitation to view a channel is accepted;

FIG. 44 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a channelmatching table;

FIG. 45 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of oneexemplary embodiment for a method of making invitation to view a channelin accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 46 is a flowchart illustrating an implement procedure of anotherexemplary embodiment for a method of making invitation to view a channelin accordance with the present disclosure; and

FIG. 47 is a flowchart illustrating an implement procedure of anexemplary embodiment for a method of processing invitation to view achannel in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 48 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on whichcontent is displayed;

FIG. 49 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a screen on whichcontent is displayed in a simultaneous viewing mode;

FIG. 50 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a screen onwhich content is displayed in a simultaneous viewing mode;

FIG. 51 is a diagram illustrating a further embodiment of a screen onwhich content is displayed in a simultaneous viewing mode;

FIG. 52 is a diagram explaining an embodiment of a method for confirmingviewing of the same content;

FIG. 53 is a diagram explaining a method for detecting user emotions;

FIG. 54 is a diagram illustrating the contour of a silhouette mapped touser emotions;

FIG. 55 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on whichdifferent silhouettes depending on user emotions are displayed;

FIG. 56 is a diagram explaining a procedure for registering a facialimage;

FIG. 57 is a diagram explaining a procedure for training a facial image;

FIG. 58 is a diagram explaining a method for detecting a user motion;

FIGS. 59A to 59D are diagrams explaining a method for reflecting ascreen effect on content;

FIG. 60 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for remotely viewingcontent at the same time;

FIG. 61 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for remotelyviewing content at the same time;

FIG. 62 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for remotelyviewing content at the same time;

FIG. 63 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of afurther exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for remotelyviewing content at the same time;

FIG. 64 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for confirming viewing ofthe same content;

FIG. 65 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for confirmingviewing of the same content;

FIG. 66 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for providing a viewinglist;

FIG. 67 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for displaying asilhouette;

FIG. 68 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for displaying asilhouette;

FIG. 69 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for displaying a silhouetteas a 3D image;

FIG. 70 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for sharing a screeneffect;

FIG. 71 is a diagram illustrating a broadcast screen on which oneexemplary embodiment of a channel map is displayed;

FIG. 72 is a diagram illustrating a broadcast screen on which anotherexemplary embodiment of a channel map is displayed;

FIG. 73 is a diagram illustrating a broadcast screen on which a furtherexemplary embodiment of a channel map is displayed;

FIG. 74 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which one exemplaryembodiment of a full channel map is displayed;

FIG. 75 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which another exemplaryembodiment of a full channel map is displayed;

FIG. 76 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which another exemplaryembodiment of a full channel map is displayed;

FIG. 77 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which a human channelsheet of the full channel map of FIG. 76 is displayed;

FIG. 78 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an App channel sheetof the full channel map of FIG. 76 is displayed;

FIG. 79 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an exemplaryembodiment of a recently viewed channel map is displayed;

FIG. 80 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which a further exemplaryembodiment of a full channel map is displayed;

FIGS. 81A to 81D are a diagrams explaining a connection state of anowner of a human channel; and

FIG. 82 is a flowchart illustrating an implement procedure of anexemplary embodiment for a method of providing a channel map service inaccordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 83 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a user registration method inaccordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 84 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI to receive userregistration information;

FIG. 85 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI to select anSNS site;

FIG. 86 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI to receiveauthentication information for an SNS site;

FIG. 87 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI to confirmexecution of a channel scan;

FIG. 88 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for providing a channelscan interface in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 89 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI to select ascan method;

FIG. 90 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI to select aservice type;

FIG. 91 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen whichdisplays the progress of a human channel scan;

FIG. 92 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen whichdisplays the result of a human channel scan;

FIG. 93 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a screen whichdisplays the result of a human channel scan;

FIG. 94 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for scanning a humanchannel in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 95 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for constructing achannel map in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 96 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI for display ofother human addresses of a friend who has a human address associatedwith a channel number;

FIG. 97 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary embodiment for ahuman channel map;

FIG. 98 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for providing ahuman channel service in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 99 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI for designationof a human address;

FIG. 100 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a screen onwhich a human channel map and content of a selected human channel aredisplayed;

FIG. 101 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on which anElectronic Program Guide (EPG) for a human channel in accordance withthe present disclosure is displayed;

FIG. 102 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen in whichdetailed information about an event is displayed on an electronicprogram guide in accordance with the present disclosure is displayed;

FIG. 103 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen in whichchannel numbers are selected on an electronic program guide inaccordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 104 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on whichcontent of a human channel is displayed;

FIGS. 105 to 107 are diagrams illustrating an embodiment in which anelectronic program guide in accordance with the present disclosure isdragged;

FIG. 108 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on which acontent list is displayed on an electronic program guide in accordancewith the present disclosure;

FIG. 109 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on which apreview of content selected from among the content list of FIG. 108 isdisplayed;

FIG. 110 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on which agraphical user interface to produce an event is displayed;

FIG. 111 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen in which anevent input into the graphical user interface of FIG. 110 is displayed;

FIGS. 112A and 112B are diagrams illustrating a screen on which anelectronic program guide in accordance with the present disclosure,which reflects the event input in FIG. 111, is displayed;

FIG. 113 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for providing serviceinformation in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 114 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for constructing serviceinformation in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 115 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for displaying serviceinformation in accordance with the present disclosure; and

FIG. 116 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for producing an event inaccordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An electronic device as disclosed herein may be a multi-functionaldisplay device. The multi-functional display device may be a televisionor a Smart TV that includes a broadcast receiver. The broadcast receivermay include, for example, a function for receiving and processing abroadcast image viewable by a user. The broadcast receiver may display abroadcast, which is selected by the user from among broadcast signalstransmitted from a broadcast station, on a display. Broadcasts may betransitioned from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting.

Digital broadcasting may refer to digital audio and video signalbroadcast. Digital broadcasting has low data loss due to robustnessagainst external noise, favorable error correction, high resolution, andhigh-definition screen as compared with analog broadcasting. Inaddition, digital broadcasting may provide a bidirectional serviceunlike analog broadcasting.

In addition to providing digital broadcasting, the broadcast receivermay provide a Social Network Service (SNS). SNS may refer to a servicefor establishing and maintaining online social networks among variousindividuals and may enable personal media and information sharing.Examples of SNS may include Twitter, MySpace, and facebook widely usedin America as well as Cyworld and Me2 Day used in Korea, among others.SNS may be used for communication and information sharing among users.SNS assists users in making new connections or reinforcing existingconnections with other users.

An electronic device as set forth herein is an intelligent electronicdevice equipped with a computer support function in addition to abroadcasting reception function, for example. Since an Internet functionis added to a broadcasting reception function, the electronic device mayhave an interface which is more convenient than a hand-writing inputdevice, a touch screen, a touch pad, or a remote controller. Further,because the electronic device supports wired or wireless Internet, theelectronic device may include e-mail transmission/reception, Webbrowsing, banking, and gaming functions and the like when connected tothe Internet or a computer. To implement these functions, the electronicdevice may operate based on a standard, general-purpose Operating System(OS).

Various applications may be freely added to or deleted from, forexample, a general-purpose OS kernel of the electronic device accordingto the present disclosure. Therefore, the electronic device may performa number of user-friendly functions. The electronic device may be anetwork TV, a Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HBBTV), a smart TV, an OpenHybrid TV (OHTV), etc. and as occasion demands, is applicable to smartphones, Personal Computers (PC) and home appliances.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail withreference to the attached drawings, but it should be understood thatthey are merely illustrative of the present disclosure and should not beinterpreted as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

In addition, although the terms used in the present disclosure areselected from generally known and used terms, some of the termsmentioned in the description of the present disclosure, the detailedmeanings of which are described in relevant parts of the descriptionherein, have been selected at the discretion of the applicant.Furthermore, the present disclosure must be understood, not simply bythe actual terms used but by the meanings of each term lying within.Accordingly, the terms used herein should be understood not simply bythe actual terms used but by the meaning lying within and thedescription disclosed herein.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of anexemplary embodiment for a broadcast system in accordance with thepresent disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, the broadcast system 1 in accordance with thepresent disclosure may include a first server 10, a second server 20, afirst digital TV 100, a second digital TV 110, a personal computersystem 120, a notebook computer 130 and a mobile terminal 140. The firstserver 10, the second server 20, the first digital TV 100, the seconddigital TV 110, the personal computer system 120, the notebook computer130 and the mobile terminal 140 may be connected to one another via anetwork 2. Broadcast system 1 may include other appropriate types ofmulti-functional display devices in addition to the examples as shown inFIG. 1.

The network 2 may include a backbone network and an access network. Thebackbone network may include an X.25 network, a frame relay network, anAsynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network, a Multi Protocol LabelSwitching (MPLS) network and a Generalized Multi Protocol LabelSwitching (GMPLS) network, alone or in combination. The access networkmay be a Fiber To The Home (FTTH) network, an Asymmetric DigitalSubscriber Line (ADSL) network, a cable network, a wireless LAN (IEEE802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n) network, a WirelessBroadband (WIBro) network, a WiMax network and a High Speed DownlinkPacket Access (HSDPA) network. In some embodiments, the network 2 may bean Internet network or mobile communication network.

The first server 10 may provide a service for connection between thefirst digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personal computersystem 120, the notebook computer 130 and the mobile terminal 140. Thefirst server 10 may provide User Datagram Protocol (UDP) hole punching.In addition, the first server 10 may have a static IP address. The firstdigital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personal computer system120, the notebook computer 130 and the mobile terminal 140 may beconnected to the first server 10 using the static IP address.

The second server 20 may provide the first digital TV 100, the seconddigital TV 110, the personal computer system 120, the notebook computer130 and the mobile terminal 140 with a human channel service. Here, ahuman channel refers to a communication channel for transmission ofcontent provided by an individual. The human channel may refer to anidentification sign for identification of the communication channel interms of a user, and may refer to a communication channel correspondingto a channel number mapped to a human address in terms of a device, i.e.a communication channel accessible using the human address. As broadlydescribed herein the human channel service may include, for example, aservice to provide access to a Social Network Service (SNS) provided byan SNS service provider on a channel of a multi-functional displaydevice (e.g., a social network channel service or SNS channel service).The human channel may be a particular channel on the multi-functionaldisplay device (e.g., digital TV) for accessing an SNS account for anindividual or an entity. The human channel may also be referred to as asocial network channel or SNS channel. A human channel may be associatedwith a channel number similar to a conventional broadcast channel on themulti-functional display device (e.g., digital TV), but unlike thebroadcast channel, the human channel is also associated with a humanaddress that identifies an SNS account.

The human address as broadly described herein refers to anidentification character string for identification of a human orindividual. The human address may also be referred to herein as an SNSidentifier or a user identifier. The human address may correspond to achannel assigned to an individual, a group of individuals, or an entityand may be referred to as an SNS channel name. The human address mayinclude at least one of an e-mail address, an account name, a familyname and a Session Initiation Protocol-Uniform Resource Locator(SIP-URL), or another appropriate type of identifier or address. Thehuman address may be an address or identifier given to a human orindividual and is different from an address assigned to an electronicdevice. For example, the human address may include an SNS address for anindividual or user (e.g., a social network address or SNS address).Moreover, the human address may include multiple SNS addresses for aparticular user (e.g., a user's facebook and twitter accounts), ormultiple SNS addresses for a group of users (e.g., dad's facebookaccount and mom's facebook account). As described above, the humanchannel service may refer to a service for providing a human channel ofat least one individual. The second server 20 may be a conventionalSocial Network Service (SNS) server.

The first digital TV 100 and the second digital TV 110 may be a networkTV, a smart TV, an HBBTV, a 3-dimensional (3D) TV, an OHTV, etc.

The personal computer system 120 may be a desktop, computer, a laptopcomputer, a tablet, a handheld computer, etc.

The mobile terminal 140 may be a cellular phone, a smart phone, aDigital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) terminal, a Personal DigitalAssistant (PDA), a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP), a navigator, etc.

The first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personalcomputer system 120, the notebook computer 130 and the mobile terminal140 may serve not only as a subject for providing the human channelservice, but also as an object affected by the human channel service ofthe second server 20 or another first digital TV 100, second digital TV110, personal computer system 120, notebook computer 130 and mobileterminal 140.

The first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personalcomputer system 120, the notebook computer 130 and the mobile terminal140 may have a static IP address or a dynamic IP address, or may have aprivate IP address.

The first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personalcomputer system 120, the notebook computer 130 and the mobile terminal140 may receive a dynamic IP address or a private IP address from thefirst server 10, if a device for providing a human channel has thedynamic IP address or the private IP address.

Alternatively, if the device has a static IP address, the user may inputthe static IP address to the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV110, the personal computer system 120, the notebook computer 130 and themobile terminal 140.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an exemplaryembodiment for a server in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2, a server 200 may function as the first server 10 orthe second server 20, or may perform functions of both the first andsecond servers 10 and 20. The server 200 may include a communicationunit 210, a controller 220 and a storage unit 230 (or storage device).

The communication unit 210 may receive packets transmitted through thenetwork 2 and may transmit the packets to the first digital TV 100, thesecond digital TV 110, the personal computer system 120, the notebookcomputer 130 and the mobile terminal 140 through the network 2. Thepackets may be transmitted by a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), UserDatagram Protocol (UDP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). Thepackets may include registration request signals, response signals,connection request signals, connection set-up signals, moving imagestreaming, Web pages and files.

The controller 220 may control transmission of the packets by thecommunication unit 210 based on at least one protocol of SIP, SimpleMail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), FileTransfer Protocol (FTP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) and MultiMedia Streaming (MMS).

The controller 220 may control storing an address of an electronicdevice which transmits a registration request signal and a human addressincluded in the registration request signal to the storage unit 230, inresponse to the received registration request signal. The address of theelectronic device and the human address may be stored in associationwith each other. The controller 220 may extract the address of theelectronic device from the registration request signal or from thepacket including the registration request signal. The address of theelectronic device may include at least one of a Media Access Control(MAC) address, an IP address, a port number, a Domain Name System (DNS)name and a URL. The IP address may include a static IP address, adynamic IP address and a private IP address.

The controller 220 reads an address of an electronic device associatedwith a human address included in a connection request signal from thestorage unit 230, in response to the received connection request signal.The controller 220 controls transmission of the read address of theelectronic device to an electronic device which issues the connectionrequest signal. Also, the controller 220 may control transmission of anaddress of the electronic device which issues the connection requestsignal to the electronic device, the address of which has been read.

The storage unit 230 may store the address of the electronic deviceaddress and the human address. The address of the electronic deviceaddress and the human address may be stored in association with eachother.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an exemplaryembodiment for an electronic device in accordance with the presentdisclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, the electronic device 300 may function as at leastone of the first broadcast receiver 100, the second broadcast receiver110, the personal computer system 120, the notebook computer 130 and themobile terminal 140.

The electronic device 300 may include a tuner 305, a demodulator 310, ademultiplexer 315, a network interface 320, an external signal inputunit 325, a video decoder 330, an audio decoder 335, a controller 340, astorage unit 345, a scaler 350, a mixer 360, a formatter 370, acommunication unit 380 and a sound sensor 390. The electronic device 300may further include an image capture device 301, a display 302,spectacles 303 and a remote controller 304.

The tuner 305 selects a Radio Frequency (RF) broadcast signalcorresponding to a channel selected by the user from among RF broadcastsignals transmitted through an antenna and converts the selected RFbroadcast signal into an Intermediate Frequency (IF) signal or abase-band video or audio signal.

The demodulator 310 receives a Digital IF (DIF) signal converted by thetuner 305 and demodulates the DIF signal.

The demodulator 310 may also perform channel decoding. To this end, thedemodulator 310 may include a Trellis decoder, a deinterleaver and aReed Solomon decoder, to perform Trellis decoding, deinterleaving andReed-Solomon decoding.

The demodulator 310 may output a Transport Stream (TS) signal afterperforming demodulation and channel decoding. An audio signal, a videosignal or a data signal may be multiplexed in the TS signal.

The demultiplexer 315 may receive a stream signal from the demodulator310, the network interface 320 and the external signal input unit 325.The demultiplexer 315 may demultiplex the received stream signal to avideo signal, an audio signal and a data signal to output thedemultiplexed signal to the video decoder 330, the audio decoder 335 andthe controller 340.

The video decoder 330 receives a video signal from the demultiplexer 315and restores the received video signal to output the restored videosignal to the scaler 350. The video signal may include a 3D videosignal.

The audio decoder 335 receives an audio signal from the demultiplexer315 and restores the received audio signal to output the restored audiosignal to the display 302 or the scaler 350.

The network interface 320 receives the packets from the network 2 andtransmits the packets to the network 2. The network interface 320 maytransmit a registration request signal and a connection request signalto the server 10 and may receive a response signal with respect to thetransmitted registration request signal and connection request signalfrom the server 10. The registration request signal may include a humanaddress, an address of the electronic device 300, an Identifier (ID) anda password. The connection request signal may include a human address.

The network interface 320 may receive content from the second server 20,the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personalcomputer system 120, the notebook computer 130 and the mobile terminal140 through the network 2. The content may include applications, movingimage streams, moving image files, music files and picture files. Thecontent may be provided through a particular human channel.

The network interface 320 may also receive an IP packet for transmissionof broadcast data from a service provider through the network 2. Thebroadcast data may be real-time broadcast service data and Internetservice data.

If the IP packet includes a stream signal, the network interface 320 mayextract the stream signal from the IP packet to output the stream signalto the demultiplexer 315. The stream signal may be transmitted from thesecond server 20, the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110,the personal computer system 120, the notebook computer 130 and themobile terminal 140. The stream signal may be provided through aparticular human channel.

The network interface 320 may output the received signal and content tothe controller 340.

The external signal input unit 325 may provide a user interface and aninterface capable of connecting an external device and the electronicdevice 300 to each other. The external device may be a variety of typesof video or audio output devices, such as a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD)player, a Blu-ray player, a gaming device, a camcorder and a computer(e.g., a notebook computer). The electronic device 300 may display videoand audio signals transmitted from the external signal input unit 325and may store or use data signals.

The external device may be the image capture device 301. The imagecapture device 301 may include a plurality of cameras. The image capturedevice 301 may capture an image of a human. In one example, the imagecapture device 301 may recognize, focus on, and capture a human handshape by zooming in. Here, the captured hand shape may be recognized asa spatial gesture. More specifically, the controller 340 may recognizethe captured hand shape as a spatial gesture and may execute commandsfor performing operations associated with the recognized spatialgesture. The spatial gesture may be defined as a gesture recognized froma video frame or an image which is mapped to one or more particularcomputing operations and is transmitted from the image capture device301.

In some embodiments, the electronic device 300 may include the imagecapture device 301.

The external signal input unit 325 may be a touch pad or a touch screen.The touch screen may be integrally formed with the display 302, or maybe a separate element. If the touch screen is integrally formed with thedisplay 302, the display 302 may be called a touch screen display. Thetouch screen is arranged at the front of the display 302, which allowsthe user to directly operate a Graphical User Interface (GUI) displayedon a screen. For example, the user may place his or her finger on anobject to be controlled.

With regard to the touch pad, the touch pad is separately put on adifferent plane from the display 302. For example, the display unit 302is generally located on a vertical plane and the touch pad is generallylocated on a horizontal plane. Thus, the touch pad is less intuitive andtherefore, is difficult to use as compared with the touch screen.

The touch pad and the touch screen may be a multi-point input device.

The controller 340 may recognize a touch gesture applied to the externalsignal input unit 325 and may control the electronic device 300 based onthe touch gesture. The touch gesture may be defined as a stylizedinteraction with the external signal input unit 325, mapped to one ormore particular computing operations. The touch gesture may beimplemented through hand, more particularly, finger movement.Alternatively or additionally, the touch gesture may be implementedthrough a stylus. A subject implementing the touch gesture, such as afinger or a stylus, is called an object.

The external signal input unit 325 receives the touch gesture, and thecontroller 340 executes commands for performing operations associatedwith the touch gesture. The storage unit 345 may include a gestureoperating program which may be a part of an operating system or anadditional application. The gesture operating program includes a seriesof commands for recognizing the occurrence of a gesture (e.g., a touchgesture or a spatial gesture) and informing one or more software agentsof the gesture and/or which actions should be taken in response to thegesture.

When the user performs one or more gestures, the external signal inputunit 325 transmits gesture information to the controller 340. Thecontroller 340 analyzes the touch gesture using commands from thestorage unit 345, more particularly, using the gesture operating programand then, controls different constituent elements of the electronicdevice 300, such as the display 302, the demultiplexer 315, the networkinterface 320, the external signal input unit 325, the storage unit 345,the scaler 350, the mixer 360, the formatter 370 and the sound sensor390. The gesture may be identified as commands for performing operationsof applications stored in the storage unit 345, for correcting a GUIobject represented on the display 302 and data stored in the storageunit 345 and for performing operations in the multiplexer 315, thenetwork interface 320, the scaler 350, the mixer 360 and the formatter370. In one example, these commands may be associated with zooming-in,panning, scrolling, page-eject, rotation, scaling, video channel switch,content reception, Internet connection and the like.

In another example, the commands may be associated with designating achannel number, designating a human address, selecting a displayedobject, dragging a displayed object, dropping a displayed object,switching a channel, displaying a channel map, switching a displayedchannel map, transmitting a channel viewing request signal, booting aparticular program, requesting a particular GUI, opening a file or adocument, looking at a menu, selecting a menu, executing a command,log-in to an Internet site, allowing an authorized person to access alimited system region, loading a user profile associated with a userpreference arrangement on the desktop, and/or the like. The displayedobject may include images, channels listed in a channel map, selectedregions on a GUI, menu items and displayed content.

A wide range of different touch gestures may be used. For example, touchgestures may include a single-point or multi-point gesture, a static ordynamic gesture, a continuous or segmented gesture, and/or the like. Thesingle point gesture may be performed through a single contact point.For example, the single-point gesture is performed by a single touchusing a single finger, palm or stylus. The multi-point gesture may beperformed through a plurality of points. For example, the multi-pointgesture is performed by multiple touches using plural fingers, a fingerand a palm, a finger and a stylus, plural styluses and/or combinationsthereof. The static gesture does not contain movement, and the dynamicgesture contains movement. The continuous gesture is performed by asingle stroke and the segmented gesture is performed by a sequence ofseparate steps or strokes.

Contact between the object and the touch screen conventionally hasvarious different patterns. For example, the single-point gesture on thetouch screen includes a down event and a subsequent up event, the downevent and the up event occurring at the same or almost the sameposition. The dynamic gesture on the touch screen includes a down event,at least one dragging event subsequent to the down event, and otherfollowing events.

In some embodiments, parameters are used to describe a process in whicha finger accesses, comes into contact with and moves away from a touchscreen display. These parameters may be a mathematical function of atleast one of a distance between the finger and the touch screen display,pressure applied to the touch screen display by the finger, a contactarea between the finger and the touch screen display, a voltage betweenthe finger and the touch screen, a capacitance between the finger andthe touch screen display or other physical parameters.

In some embodiments, according to the magnitude of each parameter (e.g.,capacitance) between the finger and the touch screen display, a downevent occurs when the parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold value,a dragging event occurs when a position of a cursor corresponding to thefinger is moved from position A to position B while the parameterexceeds the predetermined threshold voltage, and an up event occurs whenthe parameter falls below the threshold level.

The controller 340 executes a command and performs an operationassociated with the electronic device 300. For example, the controller340 may control data reception and processing and input and output ofsignals between constituent elements of the electronic device 300 usingcommands found in the storage unit 345. The controller 340 may beimplemented as a single chip, a plurality of chips, or a plurality ofelectric components. For example, a variety of architectures including adedicated or embedded processor, a single purpose processor, acontroller, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), etc. maybe used as the controller 340. The controller 340 may include at leastone processor.

The controller 340 may detect a user action and may control theelectronic device 300 based on the detected user action. The user actionmay include selecting a physical button of a display appliance or aremote controller, executing a prescribed touch gesture or selecting asoft button on a touch screen display, executing a prescribed spatialgesture recognized from an image captured through an image capturedevice, and producing prescribed sound by recognizing sound received bythe sound sensor 390. The controller 340 may analyze a user action as atleast one executable command. The controller 340 may control constituentelements of the electronic device 300 in response to the at least oneanalyzed command. That is, the controller 340 may control data receptionand processing and input and output of signals between constituentelements of the electronic device 300 using the at least one command.

The controller 340 may detect a user action for requesting a GUI fordesignation of a human address and may control displaying the GUI fordesignation of the human address in response to the detected useraction. The controller 340 may detect a user action for designating ahuman address and may control displaying a GUI for designation of achannel number in response to the detected user action. The controller340 may detect a user action for designating a channel number and maystore the designated channel number, the designated human address andinformation associating the designed channel number and human addresswith each other to a human channel map, in response to the detected useraction. The human channel map as broadly described herein may be achannel map that correlates a channel with a human address (or SNSidentifier). The human channel map may also be referred to herein as asocial network channel map, SNS channel map, or SNS channel listing, andmay be displayed in a similar manner and format as a broadcast channelmap (e.g., broadcast channel listing).

The controller 340 may detect a user action for designating a channelnumber, may read a human address associated with the designated channelnumber from the human channel map in response to the detected useraction, and may control acquiring an address of an electronic device toaccess, based on the read human address. In some embodiments, thecontroller 340 may read the address of the electronic device based onthe human address from the storage unit 345. In some embodiments, thecontroller 340 may control transmitting a connection request signalincluding the read human address to the server 10 and may acquire theaddress of the electronic device to access from the server 10.

The controller 340 may control transmitting a registration requestsignal to the server 10 upon booting or when a user action forrequesting server registration is detected. The registration requestsignal may include an address of an electronic device, a human address,an ID and a password.

The controller 340 may control transmitting a connection set-up signalto another electronic device. The connection set-up signal may include ahuman address. When the controller 340 receives a connection set-upsignal from another electronic device, the controller 340 may initializeconnection with the electronic device which transmits the connectionset-up signal, in response to the received connection set-up signal, andmay transmit a response signal to the electronic device. Duringinitialization, the controller 340 may open a particular port based oninformation included in the connection set-up signal and may transmit aresponse signal including a port number of the port.

If the controller 340 receives the response signal with respect to theconnection set-up signal from the electronic device, the controller 340may confirm whether or not the response signal includes a particularport number. If the response signal includes the particular port number,the controller 340 may receive and transmit data from and to theelectronic device through a port corresponding to the particular portnumber. In one example, the particular port number may correspond to aport for providing a human channel. In this case, the electronic device300 may receive content of a human channel through the port.

The controller 340 may control routing a packet transmitted to thenetwork interface 320 using at least one of an IP address or a portnumber included in the packet. That is, the controller 340 may controloutputting a packet having a particular port to the demultiplexer 315and may control storing the packet in the storage unit 345.

The controller 340 may extract data included in the packet and mayperform routing of the extracted data using at least one of the IPaddress or the port number included in the packet. That is, thecontroller 340 may control outputting the packet having the particularport to the demultiplexer 315 and may control storing the packet in thestorage unit 345. The controller 340 may directly process the dataincluded in the packet and may control displaying the processed resulton a screen.

The controller 340 executes a computer code together with an OperatingSystem (OS) and generates and uses data. The OS is generally known andtherefore a detailed description thereof is omitted. An example of theOS may include Windows OS, Unix, Linux, Palm OS, DOS, Android, and MacOS. The OS, other computer codes and data may be present within thestorage unit 345 which is linked to and operated by the controller 340.

The storage unit 345 generally stores program codes and data used by theelectronic device 300. For example, the storage unit 345 may beimplemented as a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), ahard disk drive, etc. The program codes and data may be stored in aseparable storage medium and, if necessary, may be loaded or installedonto the electronic device 300. The separable storage medium may includea CD-ROM, a PC card, a memory card, a floppy disk, a magnetic tape and anetwork component.

The storage unit 345 may store a human channel map. The storage unit 345may also catch port numbers and addresses of other electronic devicesconnected to the electronic device 300. The port numbers and addressesof the electronic devices may be stored in association with humanaddresses. If a human channel associated with a particular human addressis redisplayed, the controller 340 may read a port number and address ofan electronic device associated with the particular human address fromamong the caught port numbers and addresses of the electronic devicesand may receive content of the human channel using the read port numberand address of the electronic device.

The scaler 350 performs scaling of signals processed in the videodecoder 330 and the audio decoder 335, so as to provide the signals witha magnitude suitable to be output through the display 302 or a speaker(not shown).

The scaler 350 adjusts and outputs combinations of at least two of aGUI, a video signal and an aspect ratio of a 3D image, according to thekind of content to be displayed or user set-up conditions. An aspectratio value may be 21:9, 16:9, 4:3 or 3:2. The scaler 350 may performscaling such that a ratio of a horizontal screen length to a verticalscreen length has a particular value.

The mixer 360 mixes outputs of the scaler 350 and the controller 340.

The formatter 370 changes the format of audio and video signals outputfrom the mixer 360 to suit the display 302. The formatter 370 passesinput signals without implementing a format change function when a 2Dimage is displayed. When a 3D image is displayed, the formatter 370 mayserve as a 3D formatter for processing a signal into a 3D video signalbased on the format of a 3D image and the output frequency of thedisplay 302 under control of the controller 340.

The formatter 370 may output the resultant 3D video signal to form a 3Dimage to the display 302 and may produce a Sync signal relating to the3D video signal to output the sync signal to the communication unit 380.The sync signal is a signal for synchronizing display times of left eyeviewpoint video data and right eye viewpoint video data andopening/closing times of a left eye lens and a right eye lens of theshutter spectacles 303.

The communication unit 380 is a communication module for providingomni-directional (or non-directional) communication and performswireless communication with other communication appliances based onpredetermined communication standards. The communication standards maybe Zigbee, Bluetooth, Ultra WideBand (UWB), Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) and wireless Lan. The communication appliances maybe the electronic device 300, the spectacles 303 and the remotecontroller 304.

The communication unit 380 may include an infrared receiver capable ofreceiving infrared light from the remote controller 304.

The sound sensor 390 may receive sound and output the received sound tothe controller 340. The controller 340 may recognize sound output fromthe sound sensor 390 and may control the electronic device 300 based onthe recognized sound.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a screen onwhich a Web page of a Social Network Service (SNS) is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 4, the display 302 may display a Web page 400 of theserver 200. The network interface 320 may receive the Web page 400 fromthe server 200, the controller 340 may produce video image data of theWeb page 400 to enable displaying the received Web page 400, and thescaler 350 may adjust a resolution of the produced video image data. Thedisplay 302 may display the video image data 400, the resolution ofwhich has been adjusted by the scaler 350.

The Web page 400 may list one or more human addresses 411, 412 and 413.The human address 411 represents ‘Sally Brown’, the human address 412represents ‘Andy Fox’, and the human address 413 represents ‘CharlieBrown’. The listed human addresses 411, 412 and 413 are selectable by anindicator 401.

In some embodiments, an indicator 401 may be provided to highlight oneof the human addresses 411, 412 and 413, and/or a corresponding item(e.g., news feed). Once highlighted, the address or item may be selectedto perform a prescribed process, for example, for designating thecorresponding human address. The selection may be made through a remotecontroller by pressing a particular button (for example, an ‘OK’ button)or by performing a spatial gesture corresponding to a selection. Theselection may be made by other methods, such as a touch input.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for designation of a human address is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 5, if the electronic device 300 detects a user actionfor designating a human address, the electronic device 300 may display aGUI 510 in response to the detected user action. The GUI 510 may be apop-up window.

The GUI 510 may include a menu item 511 for channel registration, a menuitem 513 for channel switch, and a menu item 515 for channel editing.The menu items 511, 513 and 515 are selectable by an indicator 520.

If the electronic device 300 detects a user action for selecting themenu item 511, the electronic device 300 may display a GUI fordesignation of a channel number in response to the detected user action.

If the electronic device 300 detects a user action for selecting themenu item 513, the electronic device 300 may display a GUI for switchinga channel number in response to the detected user action.

Also, if the electronic device 300 detects a user action for selectingthe menu item 515, the electronic device 300 may display a GUI forediting a channel number in response to the detected user action.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for designation of a channel number is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 6, if the electronic device 300 detects a user actionfor designating a human address, the electronic device 300 may display aGUI 610 in response to the detected user action. Also, if the electronicdevice 300 detects a user action for selecting the menu item 511, theelectronic device 300 may display the GUI 610 in response to thedetected user action.

The GUI 610 lists channel numbers from 41 to 61. The channel numbersfrom 41 to 61 are selectable by an indicator 620. The GUI 610 maydisplay the channel numbers in such a manner that a channel number towhich a human address has been assigned is discriminated from an emptychannel number. In the drawing, the channel numbers ‘41’, ‘43’ to ‘45’,‘48’ to ‘55’, ‘58’, ‘59’ and ‘61’ are channel numbers to which humanaddresses have been assigned, and the other channel numbers ‘42’, ‘46’,‘47’, ‘56’, ‘57’ and ‘60’ may be empty channel numbers and distinguishedby a bold font. The controller 340 may confirm the channel numbers andwhether or not human addresses have been assigned to the channel numbersusing a human channel map stored in the storage unit 345 and may producethe GUI 610 based on the confirmed results.

The channel numbers listed in the GUI 610 may be channel numbers towhich human addresses have been assigned, or may be channel numbers towhich channels are not assigned.

In some embodiments, a channel number to which a channel is not assignedmay be a channel number which does not belong to any one of a sky wavebroadcast channel, a cable channel, an IPTV channel or a satellitechannel. Thus, the electronic device 300 may simultaneously performbrowsing of a human channel and one of a sky wave broadcast channel, acable channel, an IPTV channel or a satellite channel.

In some embodiments, a channel number to which a channel is not assignedmay be a channel number which belongs to some kinds of channelsincluding a broadcast channel and an App channel, but does not belong toa human channel.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating one example of a screen on which theresult of assigning a human address to a channel number is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 7, if the user performs a user action for issuing aselection order to the indicator 620 in a state in which the indicator620 is located at one of the channel numbers from 41 to 61 listed in theGUI 610, the electronic device 300 may detect a user action fordesignating a channel number and may display a message 710 in responseto the detected user action. The message 710 may indicate that thedesignated channel number is assigned to the designated human address.For example, the message 710 indicates that the channel number ‘60’ isassigned to ‘Sally Brown’.

The electronic device 300 may store the human address ‘Sally Brown’, thechannel number ‘60’ and information associating the human address ‘SallyBrown’ and the channel number ‘60’ with each other in a human channelmap, in response to the detected user action.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a screen onwhich a menu is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 8, the electronic device 300 may display a menu 800including a menu item 810 for requesting displaying a GUI fordesignation of a human address.

If the user performs a user action for selecting the menu item 810, theelectronic device 300 may detect the user action for selecting the menuitem 810 and may display a message 820 in response to the detected useraction.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which another exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for designation of a human address is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 9, if the user performs a user action for selecting abutton 821, the electronic device 300 may detect the user action forselecting the button 821 and may display a GUI 910 in response to thedetected user action. In another embodiment, if the user performs a useraction for selecting the menu item 810, the electronic device 300 maydetect the user action for selecting the menu item 810 and display theGUI 910 in response to the detected user action.

The user may input an IP address to the GUI 910. After the usercompletes the user action for inputting the IP address, the electronicdevice 300 may detect the user action and may display the GUI 610 inresponse to the detected user action.

If the user performs a user action for issuing a selection order to theindicator 620 in a state in which the indicator 620 is located at one ofthe channel numbers from 41 to 61 listed in the GUI 610, the electronicdevice 300 may detect the user action for designating a channel numberand may display a message in response to the detected user action. Themessage may indicate that the designated channel number is assigned tothe input IP address.

The electronic device 300 may store the input IP address, the channelnumber ‘60’ and information associating the input IP address and thechannel number ‘60’ with each other in the human channel map, inresponse to the detected user action.

In some embodiments, the user may further input the human address ‘Sallybrown’ via the GUI 910. If the user completes the user action forinputting the human address ‘Sally Brown’ and the IP address, theelectronic device 300 may detect the user action and may display the GUI610 in response to the detected user action. If the electronic device300 detects a user action for designating the channel number ‘60’ amongthe displayed channel numbers, the electronic device 300 may display amessage 710 in response to the detected user action. The electronicdevice 300 may store the human address ‘Sally Brown’, the IP address,the channel number ‘60’, and information associating the human address‘Sally Brown’ and the IP address with each other and informationassociating the channel number ‘60’ and the human address ‘Sally Brown’with each other in the human channel map, in response to the detecteduser action.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which another exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for designation of a human address is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 10, if the user performs a user action for selectingthe menu item 810, the electronic device 300 may detect the user actionfor selecting the menu item 810 and may display a GUI 1010 in responseto the detected user action.

The user may input a human address to the GUI 1010. The human addressmay include at least one of an e-mail address, an account name, a familyname or an SIP-URL. If the user completes the user action for inputtingthe human address, the electronic device 300 may detect the user actionand may display the GUI 610 in response to the detected user action.

If the user performs a user action for issuing a selection order to theindicator 620 in a state in which the indicator 620 is located at one ofthe channel numbers from 41 to 61 of the GUI 610, the electronic device300 may detect the user action for designating a channel number and maydisplay a message in response to the detected user action. The messagemay indicate that the designated channel number is assigned to the inputhuman address. The message may be the message 710 illustrated in FIG. 7.

The electronic device 300 may store the input human address, the channelnumber ‘60’ and information associating the input human address and thechannel number ‘60’ with each other in the human channel map, inresponse to the detected user action.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which a further exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for designation of a human address is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 11, if the user performs a user action for selectingthe menu item 810, the electronic device 300 may detect the user actionfor selecting the menu item 810 and may display a GUI 1110 in responseto the detected user action.

The user may input a human address to the GUI 1110. The GUI 1110 may bea pull-down menu, or the like, that lists one or more selectable humanaddresses. The human address may include at least one of an e-mailaddress, an account name or an SIP-URL. If the user completes the useraction for inputting the human address, the electronic device 300 maydetect the user action and may display the GUI 610 in response to thedetected user action.

In some embodiments, the user may perform a user action for selectingone human address from among the human addresses listed in the GUI 1110.If the user completes the user action for inputting the human address,the electronic device 300 may detect the user action and may display theGUI 610 in response to the detected user action.

If the user performs a user action for issuing a selection order to theindicator 620 in a state in which the indicator 620 is located at one ofthe channel numbers from 41 to 61 listed in the GUI 610, the electronicdevice 300 may detect the user action for designating a channel numberand may display a message in response to the detected user action. Themessage may indicate that the designated channel number is assigned tothe input human address. The message may be the message 710 illustratedin FIG. 7.

The electronic device 300 may store the input human address, the channelnumber ‘60’ and information associating the input human address and thechannel number ‘60’ with each other in the human channel map, inresponse to the detected user action.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment for a humanchannel map.

Referring to FIG. 12, a human channel map 1210 may include channelnumbers, human addresses and pointers. In the human channel map, achannel number, a human address to which the channel number is assigned,and a pointer associated with the human address may be arranged in asingle line. That is, information representing a line may be informationassociating a channel number and a human address with each other. In oneexample, since a channel number ‘71’ and a human address ‘Zoe’ arelocated in the second line, the electronic device 300 may confirm thatthe channel number ‘71’ is assigned to the human address ‘Zoe’.

Access information maps 1230, 1240, 1250, 1260 and 1270 storeinformation required to access the human channels. The accessinformation maps 1230, 1240, 1250, 1260 and 1270 may respectively storedifferent kinds of information according to access methods thereof. Thefirst access information map 1230 may store type information indicatingan access method, IP addresses, port numbers and authenticationinformation. The second access information map 1240 may store typeinformation indicating an access method, SIP-URLs and authenticationinformation. The third access information map 1250 may store typeinformation indicating an access method, IP addresses, port numbers,accounts and authentication information. The fourth access informationmap 1260 may store type information indicating an access method, IPaddresses, port numbers, e-mail addresses and authenticationinformation. The fifth access information map 1270 may store typeinformation indicating an access method, shortcuts and authenticationinformation. The information stored in the access information maps 1230,1240, 1250, 1260 and 1270 may be input by the user, or may betransmitted from the server 10 and the server 20. In addition, theinformation may be stored in the access information maps before andafter the information associating the channel number and the humanaddress with each other is stored in the human channel map 1210.

An access method may be one of a first access method using IP addressesand port numbers, a second access method using SIP-URLs, a third accessmethod for accessing a server and receiving a service associated with aparticular account, a fourth access method for accessing an SNS serverand receiving a service associated with a particular e-mail address anda fifth access method using shortcuts. The first access method, thesecond access method, the third access method, the fourth access methodand the fifth access method may respectively be denoted by type 1, type2, type 3, type 4 and type 5.

The pointers may indicate positions where information associated withthe human addresses is stored. A pointer 1221 indicates a position whereinformation associated with ‘Me’ is stored. That is, the pointer 1221indicates the first line of the first access information map 1230. An IPaddress associated with ‘Me’ is 127.0.0.1, and a port number associatedwith ‘Me’ is 88. Access to a human channel of ‘Me’ may be implemented bythe access method denoted by type 1. A pointer 1222 indicates a positionwhere information associated with ‘Zoe’ is stored. That is, the pointer1222 indicates the second line of the first access information map 1230.An IP address associated with ‘Zoe’ is 210.1.7.29, and a port numberassociated with ‘Zoe’ is 545. Access to a human channel of ‘Zoe’ may beimplemented by the access method denoted by type 1. Also, a pointer 1223indicates a position where information associated with ‘Susan’ isstored. That is, the pointer 1223 indicates the third line of the firstaccess information map 1230. An IP address associated with ‘Susan’ is198.10.8.102, and a port number associated with ‘Susan’ is 546. Accessto a human channel of ‘Susan’ may be implemented by the access methoddenoted by type 1.

A pointer 1225 indicates a position where information associated with‘Chuck’ is stored. That is, the pointer 1225 indicates the first line ofthe second access information map 1240. An SIP-URL associated with‘Chuck’ is chuck@TV.com. Access to a human channel representing ‘Chuck’may be implemented by the access method denoted by type 2. A pointer1226 indicates a position where information associated with ‘Dad’ isstored. That is, the pointer 1226 indicates the second line of thesecond access information map 1240. An SIP-URL associated with ‘Dad’ isDad@TV.com. Access to a human channel of ‘Dad’ may be implemented by theaccess method denoted by type 2.

A pointer 1224 indicates a position where information associated with‘Sophie’ is stored. That is, the pointer 1224 indicates the first lineof the third access information map 1250. An IP address associated with‘Sophie’ is 202.131.29.70, a port number associated with ‘Sophie’ is 80,and an account name is Sophie. Access to a human channel of ‘Sophie’ maybe implemented by the access method denoted by type 3. A pointer 1227indicates a position where information associated with ‘George’ isstored. That is, the pointer 1227 indicates the second line of the thirdaccess information map 1250. An IP address associated with ‘George’ is209.62.105.13, and a port number associated with ‘George’ is 80. Accessto a human channel of ‘George’ may be implemented by the access methoddenoted by type 3.

A pointer 1228 indicates a position where information associated with‘Carrie’ is stored. That is, the pointer 1228 indicates the first lineof the fourth access information map 1260. An IP address associated with‘Carrie’ is 69.171.224.12, a port number associated with ‘Carrie’ is 80,and an e-mail address associated with ‘Carrie’ is Carrie@SNS.com.

A pointer 1229 indicates a position where information associated with‘Paul’ is stored. That is, the pointer 1229 indicates the first line ofthe fifth access information map 1270. A shortcut associated with ‘Paul’is ftp://Paul.sns.com:21.

The authentication information of the access information maps 1230,1240, 1250, 1260 and 1270 may include IDs and passwords as well asstored character strings. In addition, the authentication informationmay be encoded and stored.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of oneexemplary embodiment for a method of constructing a human channel map inaccordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 13, the display 302 displays a first GUI fordesignation of a human address (S100). The displayed first GUI may listat least one selectable human address. The listed human address may betransmitted from one of the first server 10 and the second server 20.The network interface 320 may receive the human address from one of thefirst server 10 and the second server 20. The controller 340 may controldisplaying the first GUI which provides the human address. The first GUImay be one of the Web page 400 in FIG. 4, the GUI 910 in FIG. 9, the GUI1010 in FIG. 10 and the GUI 1110 in FIG. 11.

The controller 340 detects a first user action for designating a humanaddress (S110).

The display 302 displays a second GUI for designation of a channelnumber in response to the detected first user action (S120). Thedisplayed second GUI may list a plurality of selectable channel numbers.The second GUI may include an indicia that indicates the channel numberswhich are currently available. The second GUI may be the GUI 610 in FIG.6.

The controller 340 detects a second user action for designating achannel number (S130).

The controller 340 stores a human address, a channel number andinformation associating the human address and the channel number witheach other in a human channel map in response to the detected seconduser action (S140). The human channel map may be the human channel map1210 in FIG. 12, or may include the human channel map 1210, the firstaccess information map 1230, the second access information map 1240, thethird access information map 1250, the fourth access information map1260 and the fifth access information map 1270 as illustrated in FIG.12.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment for a method of constructing a humanchannel map in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 14, the display 302 displays a first GUI fordesignation of a channel number (S200). The displayed first GUI may lista plurality of selectable channel numbers. The channel numbers mayinclude an indicia identifying channel numbers which are available suchas highlighting, bold text, or the like. The first GUI may be the GUI610 in FIG. 6.

The controller 340 detects a first user action for designating a channelnumber (S210).

The display 302 displays a second GUI for designating a human address inresponse to the detected first user action (S220). The displayed secondGUI may list at least one selectable human address. The listed humanaddress may be transmitted from one of the first server 10 and thesecond server 20. The network interface 320 may receive the humanaddress transmitted from one of the first server 10 and the secondserver 20, and the controller 340 may control displaying the second GUIwhich provides the received human address. The second GUI may be one ofthe Web page 400 in FIG. 4, the GUI 910 in FIG. 9, the GUI 1010 in FIG.10 and the GUI 1110 in FIG. 11.

The controller 340 detects a second user action for designating a humanaddress (S230).

The controller 340 stores a human address, a channel number andinformation associating the human address and the channel number witheach other in a human channel map in response to the detected seconduser action (S240). The human channel map may be the human channel map1210 in FIG. 12, or may include the human channel map 1210, the firstaccess information map 1230, the second access information map 1240, thethird access information map 1250, the fourth access information map1260 and the fifth access information map 1270 as illustrated in FIG.12.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating one exemplary embodiment of a screenon which a human channel map and content of a selected human channel aredisplayed.

Referring to FIG. 15, the controller 340 may control displaying a screen1500. The screen 1500 may include a channel map region 1510, a channeldisplay region 1520, a content list region 1530 and a human displayregion 1540.

The channel map region 1510 provides a human address and a channelnumber mapped to the human address. In one example, the channel mapregion 1510 provides a human address ‘Me’, denoted by reference numeral1511, and a channel number ‘00’, denoted by reference numeral 1512,mapped to the human address ‘Me’. The controller 340 may produce animage displayed on the channel map region 1510 using information of thehuman channel map. The human address and channel number of the channelmap region 1510 may be selected using a cursor 1501 and an indicator1502. For example, when the cursor 1501 is positioned over a particularhuman address (e.g., human address ‘Sophie’, denoted by referencenumeral 1513, and channel number ‘72’ denoted by reference numeral1514), the indicator 1502 may be located over a designated human addressand channel number, as illustrated in FIG. 15. The cursor 1501 may be apointer, arrow, or the like, and the indicator 1502 may be a highlight,bold text, or the like.

The channel display region 1520 may display a human channelcorresponding to a designated channel number. In FIG. 15, since theindicator 1502 and cursor 1501 are positioned over the channel number‘72’, a designated channel number is 72 and thus, the channel displayregion 1520 displays a human channel corresponding to the channel number‘72’. The human channel corresponding to the channel number ‘72’ is ahuman channel of the human address mapped to the channel number ‘72’.That is, the channel display region 1520 displays the human channel of‘Sophie’.

The content list region 1530 provides a content list provided by a humanchannel corresponding to a designated channel number. The content listregion 1530 may provide a thumbnail of content. If a user action forselecting particular content from among content provided in the contentlist region 1530 is detected, the controller 340 may control displayingthe selected content on the channel display region 1520 in response tothe detected user action. In addition, it is possible to discriminatebetween content displayed on the channel display region 1520 and contentdisplayed on the content list region 1530. To this end, for example, thecontent displayed on the channel display region 1520 may be highlightedin the content list region 1530.

The human display region 1540 displays a human having a human addressassociated with a selected channel number. The human display region 1540may display a picture of an owner of a human channel indicated by theindicator 1501.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary embodiment of ascreen on which a human channel map and content of a selected humanchannel are displayed.

Referring to FIG. 16, the controller 340 may detect a user action forrequesting channel switch to Channel 73. The user action for requestingchannel switch may include executing a spatial gesture for requestingchannel increment, or pressing a button of a remote controller forrequesting channel increment.

The controller 340 may control displaying a screen 1600 in response tothe detected user action. In a channel map region 1610, an indicator1601 is located at the channel number 73′ designated by the user action.A channel display region 1620 displays a human channel corresponding tothe channel number ‘73’, i.e. the human channel of ‘Chuck’. A contentlist region 1630 displays a content list provided by the human channelmapped to the channel number ‘73’.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a further exemplary embodiment of ascreen on which a human channel map and content of a selected humanchannel are displayed.

Referring to FIG. 17, the controller 340 may detect a user action forrequesting channel switch to Channel 75. The controller 340 may controldisplaying a screen 1700 in response to the detected user action. In achannel map region 1710, an indicator 1701 is located at the channelnumber ‘75’ designated by the user action. A channel display region 1720displays a human channel corresponding to the channel number ‘75’, i.e.the human channel of ‘Susan’. A content list region 1730 displays acontent list provided by the human channel mapped to the channel number‘75’.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment for a method of providing a human channel servicein accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 18, the controller 340 detects a user action fordesignating a channel number (S300). Step S300 may be performed whilethe display 302 is displaying at least one of a human channel, abroadcast channel or an App channel. For example, the controller 340 maydetect the user action for designating a channel number while thedisplay 302 is displaying the screen 1500 of FIG. 15, the screen 1600 ofFIG. 16 or the screen 1700 of FIG. 17. The broadcast channel may includeat least one of a sky wave broadcast channel, a cable channel, asatellite channel or an IPTV channel.

The controller 340 receives content of a human channel indicated by thedesignated channel number in response to the detected user action(S310). The content may be first content of a content list provided bythe human channel or initial content introducing the human channel.

The controller 340 controls displaying the received content (S320). Thedisplay 302 may display the screen 1500 of FIG. 15, the screen 1600 ofFIG. 16 or the screen 1700 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of oneexemplary embodiment for a method of receiving content of a humanchannel.

Referring to FIG. 19, the controller 340 reads a human addressassociated with a designated channel number from a human channel map(S400). The human channel map may be the human channel map 1210 of FIG.12 or may include the human channel map 1210, the first accessinformation map 1230, the second access information map 1240, the thirdaccess information map 1250, the fourth access information map 1260 andthe fifth access information map 1270 as illustrated in FIG. 12.

The controller 340 reads an address of an electronic device to access,based on the read human address (S410). The electronic device to accessmay be one of the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, thepersonal computer system 120, the notebook computer 130, the mobileterminal 140, or another appropriate type of multi-functional displaydevice. The address of the electronic device to access may be stored inthe access information map 1230 illustrated in FIG. 12. The address ofthe electronic device to access may include an IP address and a portnumber.

The network interface 320 receives content from the electronic deviceusing the read address of the electronic device (S420). The electronicdevice 300 may set up communication with the electronic device using theaddress of the electronic device read in Step S410 and may receivecontent of a human channel from the electronic device. The content maybe transmitted based on a protocol such as SMTP, HTTP, FTP, RTSP or MMS.

The method of receiving content of a human channel illustrated in FIG.19 may be one example of the first access method as described withreference to FIG. 12.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anotherexemplary embodiment for a method of receiving content of a humanchannel.

Referring to FIG. 20, the controller 340 reads a human addressassociated with a designated channel number from a human channel map(S500). The human channel map may be the human channel map 1210 of FIG.12, or may include the human channel map 1210, the first accessinformation map 1230, the second access information map 1240, the thirdaccess information map 1250, the fourth access information map 1260 andthe fifth access information map 1270 as illustrated in FIG. 12.

The controller 340 reads an address of a server to be connected, basedon the read human address (S510). The server may be the server 10 or theserver 20. The address of the server may be stored in the accessinformation map 1250, the access information map 1260 and the accessinformation map 1270. The address of the server may include an IPaddress, a port number and an account name, or may include an IPaddress, a port number and an e-mail address, or may include a shortcut.

The network interface 320 receives content from the server using theread address of the server (S520). The electronic device 300 may accessthe server using the address of the server read in Step S510 and mayreceive content of a human channel from the server. The content may betransmitted based on a protocol such as SMTP, HTTP, FTP, RTSP or MMS.

The method of receiving content of a human channel illustrated in FIG.19 may be one example of one of the third access method, the fourthaccess method and the fifth access method as described with reference toFIG. 12, according to the address of the server read in Step S510.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of afurther exemplary embodiment for a method of receiving content of ahuman channel.

Referring to FIG. 21, the controller 340 reads a human addressassociated with a designated channel number from a human channel map(S600). The human channel map may be the human channel map 1210 of FIG.12, or may include the human channel map 1210, the first accessinformation map 1230, the second access information map 1240, the thirdaccess information map 1250, the fourth access information map 1260 andthe fifth access information map 1270 as illustrated in FIG. 12. Also,the read human address may include an SIP-URL.

The network interface 320 transmits a connection request signalincluding the read human address to a server (S610). The connectionrequest signal may include an SIP-URL. Also, the server may be theserver 10.

The network interface 320 receives a signal including an address of anelectronic device from the server (S620). The signal may be a responsesignal with respect to the connection request signal. The address of theelectronic device 300 may include an IP address and a port number. Theelectronic device 300 may be one of the first digital TV 100, the seconddigital TV 110, the personal computer system 120, the notebook computer130 and the mobile terminal 140.

The controller 340 controls receiving content using the received addressof an electronic device (S630). The electronic device 300 may set upcommunication with the electronic device using the received address ofthe electronic device read in operation 620 and may receive content of ahuman channel from the electronic device. The content may be transmittedbased on a protocol such as SMTP, HTTP, FTP, RTSP or MMS.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating a method of setting up connectionbetween two electronic devices.

Referring to FIG. 22, an electronic device 2210 may set up (orconfigure) a first connection 2211 with a server 2230. During set up ofthe first connection 2211, the server 2230 acquires and stores an IPaddress and port number of the electronic device 2210. The firstconnection 2211 may be set up during booting of the electronic device2210, or may be set up when a user requests connection between theelectronic device 2210 and the server 2230. The electronic device 2210may be one of the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, thepersonal computer system 120, the notebook computer 130 or the mobileterminal 140, and the server 2230 may be the server 10, for example.

An electronic device 2220 may set up a second connection 2231 with theserver 2230. During set up of the second connection 2231, the server2230 acquires and stores an IP address and a port number of theelectronic device 2220. The second connection 2231 may be set up duringbooting of the electronic device 2220, or may be set up when a userrequests connection between the electronic device 2220 and the server2230.

The second connection 2231 may be set up after the server 2230 completesset up of the first connection 2211 with the electronic device 2210.When requesting the second connection 2231, the server 2230 may use thepreviously stored IP address and port number of the electronic device2220. The electronic device 2220 may be one of the first digital TV 100,the second digital TV 110, the personal computer system 120, thenotebook computer 130 or the mobile terminal 140.

The electronic device 2210 may set up a third connection 2221 with theelectronic device 2220. In this case, the electronic device 2210 mayreceive the IP address and port number of the electronic device 2220from the server 2230 which has previously acquired the IP address andport number through the second connection 2231, and may transmit asignal to the electronic device 2220 using the received IP address andport number. The transmitted signal may be a connection set-up signal ora human channel request signal.

The electronic device 2220 may receive the IP address and port number ofthe electronic device 2210 from the server 2230 which has previouslyacquired the IP address and port number through the first connection2211, and may transmit a response signal to the electronic device 2210using the received IP address and port number. In some embodiments, theelectronic device 2220 may extract the IP address and port number of theelectronic device 2210 from the connection set-up signal transmittedfrom the electronic device 2210 and may transmit a response signal tothe electronic device 2210 using the extracted IP address and portnumber.

FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of anotherexemplary embodiment of a broadcast system in accordance with thepresent disclosure, and FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating an exemplaryembodiment of a Network Address Translation (NAT) table, and FIG. 25 isa diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of an address matchingtable recorded in a server.

Referring to FIGS. 23 to 25, the broadcast system 2300 may include afirst electronic device 2310, a second electronic device 2320, a networkdevice 2330, a network device 2340 and a server 2350.

The first electronic device 2310 and the second electronic device 2320respectively have private IP addresses. Specifically, the private IPaddress of the electronic device 2310 is private_ip1 and the private IPaddress of the electronic device 2320 is private_ip2. The electronicdevice 2310 and the electronic device 2320 may be one of the firstdigital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personal computer system120, the notebook computer 130 or the mobile terminal 140.

The network device 2330, as set up in the NAT table, translates theprivate IP address of the first electronic device 2310 into a public IPaddress, i.e. from private_ip1 to public_ip1. More specifically, thenetwork device 2330 translates a source IP address of a packet,transmitted from the first electronic device 2310 to the server 2350,from pivate_ip1 into public_ip1. The network device 2330 may be one of arouter, a sharer or a gateway.

The network device 2340, as set up in the NAT table, translates theprivate IP address of the second electronic device 2320 into a public IPaddress, i.e. from private_ip2 to public_ip2. More specifically, thenetwork device 2340 translates a source IP address of a packet,transmitted from the second electronic device 2320 to the server 2350,from pivate_ip2 into public_ip2. The network device 2340 may be one of arouter, a sharer or a gateway.

The server 2350 may be the server 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. The server2350 may store an address matching table 2500. The address matchingtable 2500 may be permanently or temporarily stored in the storage unit.The address matching table 2500 may store a human address, an IP addressand information associating the human address and the IP address witheach other. The information associating the human address and the IPaddress with each other may be information representing a line of thetable.

In the address matching table 2500, a human address 1 is associated withpublic_ip1, and a human address 2 is associated with public_ip 2. Thehuman address 1 is user1@TV.com, which is a human address transmitted bythe first electronic device 2310, and the human address 2 isuser2@TV.com, which is a human address transmitted by the secondelectronic device 2320.

If the server 2350 receives a connection request signal including thehuman address 2 ‘user2@TV.com’ from the first electronic device 2310,the server 2350 reads the IP address ‘public_ip2’ matching to the humanaddress 2 from the address matching table 2500 and transmits a responsesignal including the read IP address ‘public_ip2’ to the firstelectronic device 2310. Also, the server 2350 reads the IP address‘public_ip1’ of the first electronic device 2310 from the addressmatching table 2500 and transmits a signal including the read IP address‘public_ip1’ to the second electronic device 2320. In conclusion, thefirst electronic device 2310 may implement data reception/transmissionwith the second electronic device 2320 having the private IP addressusing the received IP address ‘public_ip2’.

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment for a method of setting up connection between twoelectronic devices.

Referring to FIG. 26, the first electronic device 2610 transmits aregistration request signal to a server 2630 (S700). The server 2630 mayreceive the registration request signal. The first electronic device2610 may be one of the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110,the personal computer system 120, the notebook computer 130 or themobile terminal 140. The registration request signal may include a humanaddress ‘user1@TV.com’ and information required to log-in to the server2630. The log-in information may be authentication information stored ina human channel map.

The server 2630 transmits a response signal with respect to theregistration request signal to the first electronic device 2610 (S705).The server 2630 may store the human address ‘user1@TV.com’ included inthe registration request signal and the address of the first electronicdevice 2610 in an address matching table. Also, the server 2630 mayimplement a log-in procedure using information included in theregistration request signal. The address matching table may be theaddress matching table 2500 illustrated in FIG. 26. The server 2630 maybe the server 10 illustrated in FIG. 1.

The second electronic device 2620 transmits a registration requestsignal to the server 2630 (S710). The server 2630 may receive theregistration request signal. The second electronic device 2620 may beone of the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personalcomputer system 120, the notebook computer 130 or the mobile terminal140. The registration request signal may include the human address‘user2@TV.com’ and information required to log-in to the server 2630.

The server 2630 transmits a response signal with respect to the receivedregistration request signal to the second electronic device 2620 (S715).The server 2630 may store the human address ‘user2@TV.com’ included inthe registration request signal and the address of the second electronicdevice 2620 in the address matching table. Also, the server 2630 mayimplement a log-in procedure using information included in theregistration request signal.

The first electronic device 2610 transmits a connection request signalincluding the human address ‘user2@TV.com’ to the server 2630 (S720).The server 2630 receives the connection request signal.

The server 2630 transmits a connection response signal including‘public_ip2’ to the first electronic device 2610 in response to thereceived connection request signal (S725). Public_ip2′ is the public IPaddress of the second electronic device 2620. The first electronicdevice 2610 receives the connection response signal and acquires theaddress of the second electronic device 2620 using the connectionresponse signal.

The server 2630 transmits a connection response signal including‘public_ip1’ to the second electronic device 2620 (S730). ‘Public_ip1’is the public IP address of the first electronic device 2610. The secondelectronic device 2620 receives the connection response signal andacquires the address of the first electronic device 2610 using theconnection response signal.

The first electronic device 2610 transmits a connection set-up signal tothe second electronic device 2620 using the IP address ‘public-ip2’(S735). The second electronic device 2620 receives the connection set-upsignal.

The second electronic device 2620 transmits a connection response signalwith respect to the connection set-up signal to the first electronicdevice 2610 using the IP address ‘public_ip1’ (S740). The firstelectronic device 2610 receives the connection response signal. WithStep S735 and Step S740, communication between the first electronicdevice 2610 and the second electronic device 2620 is initialized. Theconnection response signal may include a particular port number, and thesecond electronic device 2620 may open a port corresponding to theparticular port number.

The first electronic device 2610 transmits a human channel requestsignal to the second electronic device 2620 in response to the receivedconnection response signal (S745). The second electronic device 2620receives the human channel request signal. The human channel requestsignal may be transmitted to a port corresponding to the port numberincluded in the connection response signal.

The second electronic device 2620 transmits a response signal withrespect to the received human channel request signal to the firstelectronic device 2610 (S750). The response signal may include contentof a human channel or a content list of a human channel. The firstelectronic device 2610 receives the response signal. The firstelectronic device 2610 may display content when the content istransmitted as the response signal, or may display a content list whenthe content list is transmitted as the response signal.

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which one exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for setting up a human channel is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 27, the display 302 may display a GUI 2700. If thecontroller 340 detects a user action for setting up a human channel in astate in which the Web page 400 is displayed, the controller 340 maycontrol displaying the GUI 2700 in response to the detected user action.In some embodiments, the controller 340 may control displaying the GUI2700 after the Web page 400 is received.

The GUI 2700 includes a channel number region 2710 including at leastone channel number and a human channel region 2720 including at leastone human address. In one example, the Web page 400 illustrated in FIG.4 may be displayed on the human channel region 2720, and the GUI 610illustrated in FIG. 6 may be displayed on the channel number region2710.

The user may drag each human address 411, 412 or 413 to the channelnumber region 2710 on the GUI 2700 and drop the dragged human addressonto one of the channel numbers listed on the channel number region2710. The human address 411, 412, and 413 may be represented by an icon,or another appropriate type of selectable object. The icon may have animage associated with the individual. Then, the controller 340 may storethe channel number onto which the human address was dropped, the droppedhuman address and information associating the channel number and humanaddress with each other in a human channel map. The human channel mapmay be the human channel map 1210 in FIG. 12, or may include the humanchannel map 1210, the first access information map 1230, the secondaccess information map 1240, the third access information map 1250, thefourth access information map 1260 and the fifth access information map1270 as illustrated in FIG. 12.

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating a screen in a state in which a humanaddress is being dragged on the displayed GUI of FIG. 27.

Referring to FIG. 28, an image 2810 represents a state in which thehuman address 411 is being dragged. If the image 2810 drops onto achannel number ‘60’, the human address 411, the channel number ‘60’ andinformation associating the human address 411 and the channel number‘60’ with each other may be stored in the human channel map.

FIG. 29 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which another exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for setting up a human channel is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 29, the display 302 may display a GUI 2900. If thecontroller 340 detects a user action for setting up a human channel, thecontroller 340 may control display of the GUI 2900 in response to thedetected user action. The user action is, for example, a user action forselecting the menu item 810 illustrated in FIG. 8, or a user action forselecting a separate channel set-up menu item.

The GUI 2900 includes a channel number region 2910 including at leastone channel number and a human channel region 2920 including at leastone human address. The GUI 1110 illustrated in FIG. 11 may be displayedon the human channel region 2920 and the GUI 610 illustrated in FIG. 6may be displayed on the channel number region 2910.

The user may drag each human address ‘user99@TV.com’, ‘user91@TV.com’,‘user23@TV.com’, etc., to the channel number region 2910 on the GUI 2900and drop the dragged human address onto one of the channel numberslisted on the channel number region 2910. Then, the controller 340 maystore the channel number to which the human address was dropped, thedropped human address and information associating the channel number andthe human address with each other in a human channel map. The humanchannel map may be the human channel map 1210 in FIG. 12, or may includethe human channel map 1210, the first access information map 1230, thesecond access information map 1240, the third access information map1250, the fourth access information map 1260 and the fifth accessinformation map 1270 as illustrated in FIG. 12.

FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating a screen in a state in which a humanaddress is being dragged on the displayed GUI of FIG. 29.

Referring to FIG. 30, an image 3010 represents a state in which thehuman address ‘user91@TV.com’ is being dragged. If the image 3010 isdragged onto the channel number ‘60’, the human address ‘user91©TV.com’,the channel number ‘60’ and information associating the human address‘user91@TV.com’ and the channel number ‘60’ with each other may bestored in the human channel map.

FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an exemplaryembodiment of a GUI for setting up a channel is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 31, the display 302 may display a GUI 3100. If thecontroller 340 detects a user action for setting up a channel, thecontroller 340 may control displaying the GUI 3100 in response to thedetected user action. The user action is, for example, the user actionfor selecting the menu item 810 illustrated in FIG. 8, the user actionfor selecting the menu item 513 or the menu item 515 illustrated in FIG.5, a user action for selecting a channel set-up menu item, or the like,which may be configured to display the GUI 3100.

The GUI 3100 includes a broadcast channel region 3110 including at leastone broadcast channel, a human channel region 3120 including at leastone human address and an App channel region 3130 including at least oneApp channel. The broadcast channel refers to a channel for providingreal-time broadcasting received through a satellite, a terrestrialbroadcast system or an IP network. The App channel may refer to acontent provider or a service provider connectable through an IPnetwork, or may refer to a channel for providing datareception/transmission with the content provider or the serviceprovider. Also, the App channel may refer to a channel capable ofreceiving an Internet service provided by the content provider or theservice provider. The Internet service refers to a Content on Demand(CoD) service, a YouTube service, an information service for providingweather, news and local information and enabling information retrievaland the like, an entertainment service related to gaming, singing andthe like, a communication service related to TV mail and TV SMS servicesand the like, and other Internet services including an applicationproviding service and the like.

The broadcast channel region 3110 lists broadcast channels, such as‘NBC’, ‘FOX’, ‘CNN’, ‘SBS’, ‘KBS’ and ‘OCN’. The human channel region3120 lists human addresses, such as ‘Marek Foss’, ‘Ellisabeth Daveine’and ‘Anne’. The App channel region 3130 lists App channels, such as‘Farmville’, ‘Chess’, ‘Angry birds’ and ‘Unblock Me’.

The GUI 3100 further includes a channel number region 3140, a nextchannel call button 3150 and a cancel button 3160. The channel numberregion 3140 serves to indicate a particular channel number, and the nextchannel call button 3150 serves to switch the channel number indicatedon the channel number region 3140 to another channel number. The cancelbutton 3160 serves to cancel a user action implemented on the GUI 3100.

The user may drag each human address ‘Marek Foss’, ‘Ellisabeth Daveine’or ‘Anne’ to the channel number region 3140 on the GUI 3100 and may dropthe dragged human address onto the channel number region 3140. Then, thecontroller 340 may store the channel number indicated on the channelnumber region 3140, the dropped human address and informationassociating the channel number and the human address with each other ina human channel map. The human channel map may be the human channel map1210 in FIG. 12, or may include the human channel map 1210, the firstaccess information map 1230, the second access information map 1240, thethird access information map 1250, the fourth access information map1260 and the fifth access information map 1270 as illustrated in FIG.12.

Also, the user may drag each broadcast channel ‘NBC’, ‘FOX’, ‘CNN’,‘SBS’, ‘KBS’ or ‘OCN’ to the channel number region 3140 on the GUI 3100and may drop the dragged broadcast channel onto the channel numberregion 3140. Then, the controller 340 may store the channel numberindicated on the channel number region 3140, the dropped broadcastchannel and information associating the channel number and the broadcastchannel with each other in a broadcast channel map. The broadcastchannel map refers to a channel map in which the broadcast channel andthe channel number are stored in association with each other.

The user may also drag each App channel ‘Farmville’, ‘Chess’, ‘Angrybird’ or ‘Unblock Me’ to the channel number region 3140 on the GUI 3100and may drop the dragged App channel onto the channel number region3140. Then, the controller 340 may store the channel number indicated onthe channel number region 3140, the dropped App channel and informationassociating the channel number and the App channel with each other in anApp channel map. The App channel map refers to a channel map in whichthe App channel and the channel number are stored in association witheach other.

FIG. 32 is a diagram illustrating a screen in a state in which a humanaddress is being dragged on the displayed GUI of FIG. 31.

Referring to FIG. 32, a screen 3200 displays an image 3125 on the GUI3100. The image 3125 represents a state in which the human address‘Marek Foss’ is being dragged. If the image 3125 drops onto the channelnumber region 3140, the human address ‘Marek Foss’, the channel number‘100’ and information associating the human address ‘Marek Foss’ and thechannel number ‘100’ with each other may be stored in the human channelmap.

FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating a screen in a state in which abroadcast channel, a human address and an App channel are dropped ontothe channel number region of the displayed GUI of FIG. 31.

Referring to FIG. 33, a screen 3300 displays images 3115, 3125 and 3135dropped onto the channel number region 3140. The image 3115 and theimage 3135 respectively represent a state in which the broadcast channel‘NBC’ and the App channel ‘Chess’ were dropped. In this case, thebroadcast channel, the human address and the App channel may be mappedto the same channel number. In other words, the same channel number maybe assigned to a broadcast channel, a human channel and an App channel.

It should be appreciated that a particular channel number may beassigned multiple SNS accounts associated with a particular individualor multiple individuals. For example, an individual may have multipleSNS accounts, such as a facebook account and a twitter account, eachrepresented by an image or icon in the human channel region 3120. Inthis case, the images or icons corresponding to each of the SNS accountsmay be dragged into the channel number region 3140 and associated withthe corresponding channel number (e.g., channel 100). Alternatively, themultiple SNS accounts for a particular individual may be assigned todifferent channels. In another embodiment, icons for multiple SNSaccounts of different users (e.g., SNS accounts corresponding to MarekFoss and Anne) may be dropped in the channel number region 3140 andassociated with a particular channel number (e.g., channel 100). In thiscase, the group of SNS addresses may be given a human address (or SNSidentifier) that represents the group, for example, “family.” The humanaddress for the group may be associated with a particular channelnumber.

FIG. 34A and FIG. 34B are flowcharts illustrating an implementationprocedure of a further exemplary embodiment for a method of constructinga channel map in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 34A and FIG. 34B, the display 302 displays a GUI forsetting up a channel (S800). The displayed GUI may be one of the GUI2700 illustrated in FIG. 27, the GUI 2900 illustrated in FIG. 29 or theGUI 3100 illustrated in FIG. 31.

The controller 340 detects a first user action for selecting a humanaddress (S801). The first user action may be a user action forgenerating a down event (e.g., a selection) in a region at which thehuman address is located.

The controller 340 detects a second user action for requesting dragging(S802). The second user action may occur consecutively after the firstuser action. The second user action may be a user action forsuccessively generating a dragging event. The controller 340 controlsdragging the human address selected by the first user action.

The controller 340 detects a third user action for selecting a channelnumber (S803). The third user action may be a user action for generatinga drop event in a region at which the channel number is located. Thecontroller 340 controls dropping the dragged human address onto theregion at which the channel number selected by the third user action islocated, in response to the detected third user action.

The controller 340 confirms whether or not a human address associatedwith the selected channel number is present in a human channel map, inresponse to the detected third user action (S804). The human channel mapmay be the human channel map 1210 in FIG. 12 or may include the humanchannel map 1210, the first access information map 1230, the secondaccess information map 1240, the third access information map 1250, thefourth access information map 1260 and the fifth access information map1270 as illustrated in FIG. 12.

If the associated human address is present, the controller 304 deletesthe associated human address, the selected channel number andinformation associating the associated human address and the selectedchannel number with each other from the human channel map (S805).

Then, the controller 340 stores the selected human address, the selectedchannel number and information associating the selected human addressand the selected channel number with each other in the human channel map(S806).

The controller 340 detects a fourth user action for selecting abroadcast channel (S807). The fourth user action may be a user actionfor generating a down event in a region at which the broadcast channelis located.

The controller 340 detects a fifth user action for requesting dragging(S808). The fifth user action may occur consecutively after the fourthuser action. The fifth user action may be a user action for successivelygenerating a dragging event. The controller 340 controls dragging thebroadcast channel selected by the fourth user action, in response to thedetected fifth user action.

The controller 340 detects a sixth user action for selecting a channelnumber (S809). The sixth user action may be a user action for generatinga drop event in a region at which the channel number is located. Thecontroller 340 controls dropping the dragged broadcast channel onto theregion at which where the selected channel number is located, inresponse to the detected sixth user action.

The controller 340 confirms whether or not a broadcast channelassociated with the selected channel number is present in a broadcastchannel map, in response to the detected sixth user action (S810).

If the associated broadcast channel is present, the controller 304deletes the associated broadcast channel, the selected channel numberand information associating the associated broadcast channel and theselected channel number with each other from the broadcast channel map(S811).

Then, the controller 340 stores the selected broadcast channel, theselected channel number and information associating the selectedbroadcast channel and the selected channel number with each other in thebroadcast channel map (S812).

The controller 340 detects a seventh user action for selecting an Appchannel (S813). The seventh user action may be a user action forgenerating a down event in a region at which the App channel is located.

The controller 340 detects an eighth user action for requesting dragging(S814). The eighth user action may occur consecutively after the seventhuser action. The eighth user action may be a user action forsuccessively generating a dragging event. The controller 340 controlsdragging the App channel selected by the seventh user action, inresponse to the detected eighth user action.

The controller 340 detects a ninth user action for selecting a channelnumber (S815). The ninth user action may be a user action for generatinga drop event in a region at which the channel number is located. Thecontroller 340 controls dropping the dragged App channel onto the regionat which the channel number selected by the ninth user action ispresent, in response to the detected ninth user action.

The controller 340 confirms whether or not an App channel associatedwith the selected channel number is present in an App channel map, inresponse to the detected ninth user action (S816).

If the associated App channel is present, the controller 304 deletes theassociated App channel, the selected channel number and informationassociating the associated App channel and the selected channel numberwith each other from the App channel map (S817).

Then, the controller 340 stores the selected App channel, the selectedchannel number and information associating the selected App channel andthe selected channel number with each other in the App channel map(S818).

FIG. 35 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a broadcastscreen on which a human channel map is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 35, the display 302 may display a screen 3500. Thescreen 3500 displays a broadcast program 3510 of a broadcast channel anda human channel map. If the controller 340 detects a user action forrequesting display of a human channel map in a state in which thebroadcast program 3510 is displayed on the screen 3500, the controller340 may control displaying a human channel map 3520 in response to thedetected user action.

The human channel map 3520 displays a human address 3531 and a channelnumber 3533 associated with the human address 3531, which are stored inthe human channel map 1210 of FIG. 12. The human channel map 3520 alsodisplays a broadcast channel 3535 that a person indicated by the humanaddress 3531 is viewing, a broadcast program 3537 and display timeinformation 3539 of the broadcast program 3537. A channel guiding signal(or a signal or message for identifying a channel), which includes atleast one of the broadcast channel 3535, the broadcast program 3537 orthe display time information 3539, may be received according to StepS310 of FIG. 18. That is, instead of content, the channel guiding signalis received in Step S310.

In some embodiments, the channel guiding signal may be received from theserver 10 illustrated in FIG. 1.

The controller 340 may transmit a channel guiding signal, which includesat least one of the broadcast program 3510 which is being displayed, abroadcast channel which broadcasts the broadcast program 3510 or displaytime information of the broadcast program 3510, to an electronic deviceor a server. The channel guiding signal may be transmitted in a constantperiod or whenever a broadcast program being displayed is switched. Thecontroller 340 may transmit the channel guiding signal to the electronicdevice or the server according to an access method associated with thechannel numbers included in the human channel map. The server forreceiving the channel guiding signal may be the server 10 illustrated inFIG. 1. The human channel map may be the human channel map 1210 in FIG.12, or may include the human channel map 1210, the first accessinformation map 1230, the second access information map 1240, the thirdaccess information map 1250, the fourth access information map 1260 andthe fifth access information map 1270 as illustrated in FIG. 12.

FIG. 36 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a screenfor invitation to view a channel.

Referring to FIG. 36, the display 302 may display a GUI 3600. If thecontroller 340 detects a user action for requesting display of a humanchannel map while a broadcast program 3610 is being displayed on thescreen 3600, the controller 340 may control displaying a human channelmap 3620 in response to the detected user action.

The human channel map 3620 displays the human address ‘Me’ and thechannel number ‘00’ associated with the human address ‘Me’, which arestored in the human channel map 1210 of FIG. 12.

The user may drag a broadcast program from an original display region3610 thereof to the human channel map 3620 and then, may drop thedragged broadcast program 3630 onto a position at which a human channel3622 is located. The controller 340 may control displaying an image 3630representing the dragged broadcast program on the screen, in response tothe user dragging action. The controller 340 also generates and controlstransmitting a channel viewing request signal for requesting viewing ofthe broadcast program 3630 to an electronic device (e.g., a remotemulti-functional display device) associated with the human channel 3622.The channel viewing request signal may be transmitted to the electronicdevice or the server according to an access method associated with thechannel numbers included in the human channel map. The human channel mapmay be the human channel map 1210 in FIG. 12, or may include the humanchannel map 1210, the first access information map 1230, the secondaccess information map 1240, the third access information map 1250, thefourth access information map 1260 and the fifth access information map1270 as illustrated in FIG. 12.

In some embodiments, the controller 340 may control transmission of thesignal for requesting viewing of the broadcast program 3630 to theserver. The server may be the server 10 illustrated in FIG. 1.

In some embodiments, when the image 3630 is located at the humanchannel, the controller 340 may control displaying a message ‘User B’which represents a human address associated with the human channel.

In some embodiments, if the controller 340 detects a user action forselecting the broadcast program 3610 and a user action for selecting thechannel number, the controller 340 controls transmitting a channelviewing request signal for requesting viewing of the broadcast program3610 to an electronic device associated with the human channel indicatedby the selected channel number, in response to the detected user actionfor selecting the channel number. The user action for selecting thebroadcast program 3630 is, for example, touching a region where thebroadcast program 3630 is displayed, pressing a predetermined button(e.g., a ‘select’ button) in a state in which an indicator is located atthe region where the broadcast program 3630 is displayed, and pressing apredetermined button (e.g., a ‘select’ button) in a state in which theregion where the broadcast program 3630 is displayed is focused. Theuser action for selecting the channel number is, for example, pressing anumeric key of a remote controller, touching the human channel listed inthe human channel map 3620, pressing a predetermined button (e.g., a‘select’ button) in a state in which an indicator is located at thehuman channel listed in the human channel map 3620, and pressing apredetermined button (e.g., a ‘select’ button) in a state in which thehuman channel listed in the human channel map 3620 is focused.

FIG. 37 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of anotherexemplary embodiment of a broadcast system in accordance with thepresent disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 37, a broadcast system 3700 in accordance with thepresent disclosure may include the first server 10, the second server20, the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personalcomputer system 120, the notebook computer 130, the mobile terminal 140,a third digital TV 150 and a fourth digital TV 160. The first server 10,the second server 20, the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV110, the personal computer system 120, the notebook computer 130 and themobile terminal 140 respectively correspond to the first server 10, thesecond server 20, the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110,the personal computer system 120, the notebook computer 130 and themobile terminal 140 as described above with reference to FIG. 1 andthus, a detailed description thereof is omitted. Even the third digitalTV 150 and the fourth digital TV 160 correspond to the first digital TV100 and thus, a detailed description thereof is omitted hereinafter.

The first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personalcomputer system 120, the notebook computer 130, the mobile terminal 140,the third digital TV 150 and the fourth digital TV 160 may receivebroadcast channels through different transmission media. The firstdigital TV 100 may receive broadcast channels through a satellite 3, thesecond digital TV 110 may receive broadcast channels through aterrestrial broadcast system 4, and the personal computer system 120 andthe notebook computer 130 may receive broadcast channels through an IPnetwork 5. Also, the mobile terminal 140 may receive broadcast channelsthrough a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) system 6, and the thirddigital TV 150 and the fourth digital TV 160 may receive broadcastchannels through a cable 7.

The first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personalcomputer system 120, the notebook computer 130, the mobile terminal 140,the third digital TV 150 and the fourth digital TV 160 may receivebroadcast channels from different service providers respectively.

The first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personalcomputer system 120, the notebook computer 130, the mobile terminal 140,the third digital TV 150 and the fourth digital TV 160 may receivebroadcast channels from the same service provider, and kinds and rangeof broadcast channels transmitted from the service provider may beidentical or different.

Even if the first digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, thepersonal computer system 120, the notebook computer 130, the mobileterminal 140, the third digital TV 150 and the fourth digital TV 160receive different kinds of broadcast services from differenttransmission media or service providers, the first digital TV 100, thesecond digital TV 110, the personal computer system 120, the notebookcomputer 130, the mobile terminal 140, the third digital TV 150 and thefourth digital TV 160 may search for a channel, which provides abroadcast program corresponding to the received channel viewing requestsignal, using Electronic Program Guide (EPG) data and informationincluded in the received channel viewing request signal, and may receivethe broadcast program through the channel.

FIG. 38 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an exemplaryembodiment for a channel invitation packet.

Referring to FIG. 38, the transmitted channel viewing request signal mayhave a format 3800. The packet 3800 may include a Details_of_user field,a Physical_channel_details field, a Service_Name field, a Service_IDfield, a Channel_number field, an Event_Name field, an Event_ID field, aTransport_Stream_ID afield, a Network_ID field, a ServiceProvider field,an Originating_medium field and an Originating_Country field.

The Details_of_user field includes detailed user information.Specifically, the Details_of_user field includes detailed informationabout a user who sends a channel viewing request signal.

The Physical_channel_details field includes detailed information about aphysical channel which transmits a broadcast program requested to view.

The Service_Name field includes a service name of a broadcast programrequested to view.

The Service_ID field includes a service ID of a broadcast programrequested to view.

The Channel_number field includes a channel number of a broadcastprogram requested to view.

The Event_Name field includes an event name of a broadcast programrequested to view.

The Event_ID field includes an event ID of a broadcast program requestedto view.

The Transport_Stream_ID field includes a transport stream ID of abroadcast program requested to view.

The Network_ID field includes a network ID of a broadcast programrequested to view.

The ServiceProvider field includes information about a service providerfor providing a broadcast program requested to view.

The Originating_medium field includes information about a transmissionmedium for transmitting a broadcast program requested to view.

The Originating_Country field includes information about a nation or anarea (e.g., geographical area or region) from which a broadcast program,requested to view, is transmitted.

FIG. 39 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a screendisplayed when invitation to view a channel is made.

Referring to FIG. 39, the display 302 may display a screen 3900. Thescreen 3900 displays a broadcast program 3910 and a menu map 3920. Thescreen 3900 also displays a guidance message 3930, which indicates abroadcast channel included in a broadcast viewing request signal, and amessage 3940 which indicates a user who sends a broadcast viewingrequest signal. The guidance message 3930 may be displayed as a messageassociated with a TV menu item 3922.

The controller 340 controls displaying the guidance message 3930 and themessage 3940 when receiving the broadcast viewing request signal.

FIG. 40 is a diagram illustrating one exemplary embodiment of a guidancemessage with regard to invitation to view a channel.

Referring to FIG. 40, the display 302 may display a guidance message4010. If a broadcast viewing request signal is transmitted to thecontroller 340, the controller 340 may generate the guidance message4010 and control displaying the generated guidance message 4010. In someembodiments, if the controller 340 detects a user action for selectingthe guidance message 3930 illustrated in FIG. 39, the controller 340 maycontrol displaying the guidance message 4010 in response to the detecteduser action.

The guidance message 4010 informs of a user A who sends a broadcastviewing request signal and makes inquiry about whether or not to view arequested broadcast program (e.g., a dance show on ESPN). The guidancemessage 4010 includes a ‘Yes’ button 4012 for accepting viewing and a‘No’ button 4014 for rejecting viewing. In one embodiment, the guidancemessage 4010 may also display other users who are currently viewing thebroadcast program or users who have been invited to view the broadcastprogram.

If the controller 340 detects a user action for accepting invitation toview a channel, the controller 340 controls displaying the requestedbroadcast program, in response to the detected user action. The useraction may be a user action of pressing the button 4012.

If the controller 340 detects a user action for rejecting the invitationto view a channel, the controller 340 controls a screen 4000 tocontinuously display the broadcast program 3910. The user action may bea user action of pressing the button 4014.

FIG. 41 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary embodiment of aguidance message with regard to invitation to view a channel.

Referring to FIG. 41, the display 302 may display a message 4110. Thecontroller 340 may control displaying the message 4110 when receiving abroadcast viewing request signal. In some embodiments, if the controller340 detects a user action for selecting the guidance message 3930illustrated in FIG. 39, the controller 340 may control displaying theguidance message 4110 in response to the detected user action.

The guidance message 4110 informs of a user A who sends a broadcastviewing request signal and makes inquiry about whether or not to view achannel similar to a requested broadcast channel because the requestedbroadcast channel is not found. The guidance message 4110 includes a‘Yes’ button 4112 for accepting viewing and a ‘No’ button 4114 forrejecting viewing.

If the controller 340 detects a user action for accepting invitation toview a channel, the controller 340 controls displaying a similarbroadcast program, in response to the detected user action. The useraction may be a user action of pressing the button 4112.

If the controller 340 detects a user action for rejecting invitation toview a channel, the controller 340 controls a screen 4100 tocontinuously display the broadcast program 3910. The user action may bea user action of pressing the button 4114.

FIG. 42 is a diagram illustrating a further exemplary embodiment of aguidance message with regard to invitation to view a channel.

Referring to FIG. 42, the display 302 may display a guidance message4210. The controller 340 may control displaying a guidance message 4210when receiving a broadcast viewing request signal. In some embodiments,if the controller 340 detects a user action for selecting the guidancemessage 3930 illustrated in FIG. 39, the controller 340 may controldisplaying the guidance message 4210 in response to the detected useraction.

The guidance message 4210 informs of a user A who sends a broadcastviewing request signal and also, informs that a channel, which is thesame as or similar to a requested broadcast program, is not found. Theguidance message 4210 includes an ‘OK’ button 4212.

If the controller 340 detects a user action for confirming that viewingof an invited channel is not possible, the controller 340 removes theguidance message 4210 from a screen 4200 in response to the detecteduser action and controls the screen 4200 to continuously display thebroadcast program 3910. The user action may be a user action of pressingthe button 4212.

FIGS. 43A and 43B are diagrams illustrating an exemplary embodiment of ascreen displayed when invitation to view a channel is accepted.

Referring to FIGS. 43A and 43B, if Patrick accepts a viewing request ofSusan, an electronic device of Susan may display a screen 4310 and anelectronic device of Patrick may display a screen 4320. Patrick mayaccept the viewing request of Susan by pressing the button 4012 of theguidance message 4010 illustrated in FIG. 40 or the button 4112 of theguidance message 4110 illustrated in FIG. 41.

As Patrick accepts the viewing request, the electronic device of Patrickstops displaying the broadcast program 3910 and displays the broadcastprogram 3610 indicated by a broadcast viewing request signal. Thus, theelectronic devices of Susan and Patrick display the same broadcastprogram 3610.

The screen 4310 displays a picture 4315 of Patrick who views the samebroadcast, a chat input window 4318 and a chat window 4319. Susan maychat with Patrick using the chat input window 4318 and the chat window4319.

The screen 4320 displays a picture 4325 of Susan who views the samebroadcast, a chat input window 4328 and a chat window 4329. Patrick maychat with Susan using the chat input window 4328 and the chat window4329.

FIG. 44 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a channelmatching table.

Referring to FIG. 44, the server 10 may store a channel matching table4400. The server 10 may match channels of electronic devices to eachother using the channel matching table 4400. The server 10 matches achannel indicated by a broadcast viewing request signal to a channelwhich is receivable by an electronic device to which the broadcastviewing request signal is transmitted, using the channel matching table4400.

A first electronic device receives a broadcast channel from a serviceprovider 1 and a second electronic device receives a broadcast channelfrom a service provider 2. If the first electronic device transmits achannel viewing request signal for inviting a user to view a channel toa user of the second electronic device, the server 10 receives thechannel viewing request signal and reads a channel 901 of the serviceprovider 2, which matches to a channel 101 indicated by the channelviewing request signal, from the channel matching table 4400. The server10 amends the channel viewing request signal so as to indicate thechannel 901 and transmits the amended channel viewing request signal tothe second electronic device.

If the channel viewing request signal has the format 3800 illustrated inFIG. 38, the server 10 may confirm a service provider of the firstelectronic device based on information included in the ServiceProviderfield. The server 10 may amend information, stored in thePhysical_channel_detail field and in the Channel_number field, todetailed information (e.g., 11100 MHZ) about the physical channel 901matching to the channel 101 indicated by the channel viewing requestsignal and the channel 901 respectively, and may transmit the amendedchannel viewing request signal to the second electronic device.

The channel matching table 4400 stores information in such a manner thatthe same channels of different service providers are associated witheach other. If the channel 101 and the channel 202 of the serviceprovider 1 are associated respectively with the channel 901 and thechannel 345 of the service provider 2, the channel matching table 4400may store the channel 910, the channel 101 and information associatingthe channels 101 and 910 with each other and also, may store the channel202, the channel 345 and information associating the channels 202 and234 with each other

The channel matching table 4400 may store the frequency of each channel.In one example, the channel matching table 4400 stores the frequency ofthe channel 101 of 10800 MHZ and the frequency of the channel 901 of11100 MHZ. The channel matching table 4400 may be stored on theoriginating electronic device (inviter), the destination electronicdevice (invitee), and/or a server.

FIG. 45 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of oneexemplary embodiment for a method of making invitation to view a channelin accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 45, Steps S900 to S940 correspond to Steps S700 toS740 and thus, a description with respect to Steps S900 to S940 refersto Steps S700 to S740 and is omitted hereinafter.

A first electronic device 4510 transmits a broadcast viewing requestsignal to a second electronic device 4520 in response to the receivedconnection response signal transmitted in Step S940 (S945). The secondelectronic device 4520 receives the broadcast viewing request signal.The broadcast viewing request signal may be transmitted to a portindicated by a port number included in the connection response signal.The broadcast viewing request signal may have the format 3800illustrated in FIG. 38.

The second electronic device 4520 transmits a response signal withrespect to the broadcast viewing request signal to the first electronicdevice 4510 in response to the received broadcast viewing request signal(S950). The first electronic device 4510 receives the response signal.The response signal may be one of a viewing acceptance signal, a viewingnot possible signal and a viewing rejection signal.

The electronic device 4510 and the electronic device 4520 may receivebroadcast services from the same service provider or different serviceproviders. Even when the electronic devices 4510 and 4520 receivebroadcast services from the same service provider, the electronicdevices 4510 and 4520 may receive different kinds of broadcast servicesand broadcast channels. The electronic device 4520 may confirm whetheror not it receives a broadcast service from the same service provider asthat in the first electronic device 4510 using information about theservice provider included in the broadcast viewing request signal andEPG data. The electronic device 4520 may also confirm that it canreceive a viewing requested channel using EPG data and at least one ofdetailed information about physical channels, service names, serviceIDs, channel numbers, event names, transport stream IDs or network IDsincluded in the broadcast viewing request signal.

If it is confirmed that the electronic device 4520 receives broadcastservices from the same service provider as that in the electronic device4510, but cannot receive a viewing requested channel from the serviceprovider, the electronic device 4520 may search for and display asimilar channel using EPG data and at least one of detailed informationabout physical channels, service names, service IDs, channel numbers,event names, transport stream IDs or network IDs included in thebroadcast viewing request signal.

If the electronic device 4520 and the electronic device 4510 receivebroadcast services from different service providers, the electronicdevice 4520 searches for a channel, which is the same as or similar to aviewing requested channel, from among channels provided by other serviceproviders, based on EPG data and at least one of detailed informationabout physical channels, service names, service IDs, channel numbers,event names, transport stream IDs, network IDs, nation information orlocal information included in the channel viewing request signal. Theelectronic device 4520 may display the located channel. The electronicdevice 4520 may display one of the guidance message 4010, the guidancemessage 4110 and the guidance message 4210 based on the search results.

The electronic device 4520 and the electronic device 4510 may receivebroadcast services from different transmission media. The electronicdevice 4520 may confirm this kind of reception using information about atransmission medium included in a broadcast viewing request signal. Ifit is confirmed that the electronic device 4520 and the electronicdevice 4510 receive broadcast services from different transmissionmedia, the electronic device 4520 searches for a channel, which is thesame as or similar to a viewing requested channel, from among channelsprovided by other service providers, based on EPG data and at least oneof detailed information about physical channels, service names, serviceIDs, channel numbers, event names, transport stream IDs, network IDs,nation information or local information included in the channel viewingrequest signal. The electronic device 4520 may display the locatedchannel. The electronic device 4520 may display one of the guidancemessage 4010, the guidance message 4110 and the guidance message 4210based on the search results.

If the response signal is a viewing acceptance signal, the firstelectronic device 4510 may display a screen on which a chat window and achat input window are displayed, and the second electronic device 4520may display a screen on which a chat window and a chat input window aredisplayed. The screen displayed by the first electronic device 4510 maybe the screen 4310 and the screen displayed by the second electronicdevice 4520 may be the screen 4320.

If the response signal is a viewing not possible signal, the firstelectronic device 4510 may transmit a broadcast program invited to viewto the second electronic device 4520.

FIG. 46 is a flowchart illustrating an implement procedure of anotherexemplary embodiment for a method of making invitation to view a channelin accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 46, the display 302 displays a human channel map(S1000). The human channel map may be the human channel map 3520illustrated in FIG. 35 or the human channel map 3620 illustrated in FIG.36.

The external signal input unit 325 receives a signal for requestingchannel switch (S1010). The controller 340 detects the received channelswitch request signal. The channel switch request signal may begenerated when the user performs an action of pressing a predeterminedkey of a remote controller, or may be a video signal with regard to aspatial gesture for requesting channel switch.

The controller 340 controls a screen to display content of a requestedchannel in response to the detected channel switch request signal(S1020). The channel may be a broadcast channel, a human channel or anApp channel. The screen may be the screen 1600 illustrated in FIG. 16 orthe screen 3500 illustrated in FIG. 35.

The controller 304 detects a user action for requesting invitation toview a channel (S1030). The user action is, for example, an action ofdragging a screen on which content is displayed and dropping the draggedscreen onto a human channel listed in a human channel map. In oneexample, the controller 340 may drag the image 3630 illustrated in FIG.36 to the human channel ‘43’ and may detect a user action for requestinginvitation to view the human channel ‘43’ when the image 3630 drops ontothe human channel ‘43’. In another example, the user action may be acombination of a user action for selecting a displayed broadcast programand a user action for selecting a human channel (or a channel number).

The controller 340 transmits a channel viewing request signal inresponse to the detected user action (S1040). The channel viewingrequest signal may have the format 3800 illustrated in FIG. 38.

In some embodiments, the controller 340 may control transmitting thechannel viewing request signal to the electronic device which providesthe human channel indicated by the channel number designated by the useraction in Step S1030. The address of the electronic device may beacquired by the above described method as illustrated in FIGS. 19 to 21.

In some embodiments, the controller 340 may control transmitting thechannel viewing request signal to a server. The server may be the server10 illustrated in FIG. 1.

The controller 340 receives a response signal with respect to thetransmitted channel viewing request signal (S1050). The response signalmay be one of a viewing acceptance signal, a viewing not possible signaland a viewing rejection signal.

If the response signal is a viewing acceptance signal, the controller340 may display a screen on which a chat window and a chat input windoware displayed. The screen may be the screen 4310 illustrated in FIGS.43A and 43B.

If the response signal is a viewing not possible signal, the controller340 may transmit a broadcast program invited to view to the electronicdevice which provides the human channel indicated by the channel numberdesignated by the user action in Step S1030.

FIG. 47 is a flowchart illustrating an implement procedure of anexemplary embodiment for a method of processing invitation to view achannel in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 47, the display 302 displays a broadcast program(S1100).

The network interface 302 receives a channel viewing request signal(S1110). The controller 340 generates a guidance message with regard toinvitation to view a channel using information included in the receivedchannel viewing request signal. The generated guidance message may bethe message 3930 and the message 3940 illustrated in FIG. 39, theguidance message 4010 illustrated in FIG. 40, the guidance message 4110illustrated in FIG. 41, or the guidance message 4210 illustrated in FIG.42.

The controller 340 may confirm whether or not it can receive a viewingrequested channel using information included in the channel viewingrequest signal. The controller 340 may confirm whether or not it canreceive a viewing requested channel from a service provider using storedEPG data and information about the service provider included in thechannel viewing request signal. The controller 340 generates a guidancemessage 4010 when it can receive the viewing requested channel from theservice provider.

Even when the electronic device 300 can receive a broadcast service froma service provider indicated by the channel viewing request signal, theelectronic device 300 may fail to receive the viewing requested channelfrom the service provider according to terms of a contract with theservice provider. If this failure to receive the channel is confirmed,the controller 340 may search for a similar channel using EPG data andat least one of detailed information about physical channels, servicenames, service IDs, channel numbers, event names, transport stream IDsor network IDs included in the channel viewing request signal. If theelectronic device 300 succeeds in searching for the similar channel, thecontroller 340 may generate the guidance message 4110 and if not, maygenerate the guidance message 4210.

If the controller 340 cannot receive the viewing requested channel fromthe service provider, the controller 304 confirms whether or not theviewing requested channel is receivable from another service provider.The controller 340 searches for the same channel as the viewingrequested channel from among channels provided by another serviceprovider based on EPG data and at least one of detailed informationabout physical channels, service names, service IDs, channel numbers,event names, transport stream IDs or network IDs included in the channelviewing request signal. If the channel is found, the controller 340 maygenerate the guidance message 4010. If the same channel is not found,but a similar channel is found, the controller 340 may generate theguidance message 4110. If the same channel and the similar channel arenot found, the controller 340 may generate the guidance message 4210.Here, another service provider may be a service provider which providesa broadcast service to the electronic device 300.

The controller 340 may confirm whether or not it can receive the viewingrequested channel, using information about a transmission mediumincluded in the channel viewing request signal. If the controller 340receives a broadcast service from a transmission medium different fromthat indicated by the channel viewing request signal, the controller 340searches for the same channel as the viewing requested channel fromamong channels provided by the different transmission medium, based onEPG data and at least one of detailed information about physicalchannels, service names, service IDs, channel numbers, event names,transport stream IDs or network IDs included in the channel viewingrequest signal. If the same channel is found, the controller 340 maygenerate the guidance message 4010. If the same channel is not found,but a similar channel is found, the controller 340 may generate theguidance message 4110. If the same channel and the similar channel arenot found, the controller 340 may generate the guidance message 4210.

The display 302 displays the guidance message generated in Step S1110 ona screen (S1120). The screen may be one of the screen 3900, the screen4000, the screen 4100 and the screen 4200 as illustrated in FIGS. 39 to42. After the display 302 displays the screen 3900, one of the screen4000, the screen 4100 and the screen 4200 may be displayed under controlof the controller 340. If the controller 340 detects a user action forselecting the message 3930 in a state in which the screen 3900 isdisplayed, the controller 340 may control displaying one of the screen4000, the screen 4100 and the screen 4200.

The controller 340 confirms whether or not a user action for acceptinginvitation to view a channel is detected (S1130). The controller 340 maydetect a user action for rejecting invitation to view a channel andalso, may detect a user action for confirming that viewing of an invitedchannel is not possible. The user actions may be performed according tothe above described method as illustrated in FIGS. 40 to 42.

The controller 340 controls displaying content of a channel indicated bythe channel viewing request signal in response to the detected useraction for accepting invitation to view the channel (S1140). If theguidance message 4110 is displayed in Step S1120, the controller 340controls displaying content of a channel similar to the channelindicated by the channel viewing request signal.

The controller 340 controls transmitting a response signal with respectto the channel viewing request signal to the electronic device whichtransmits the channel viewing request signal (S1150). The responsesignal may include a viewing acceptance signal, a viewing not possiblesignal or a viewing rejection signal. The controller 340 transmits theviewing acceptance signal when detecting a user action for acceptinginvitation to view a channel, the viewing rejection signal whendetecting a user action for rejecting invitation to view a channel, andthe viewing not possible signal when detecting a user action confirmingthat viewing of a channel is not possible.

When the viewing not possible signal is transmitted, the electronicdevice, which transmits the channel viewing request signal, may directlytransmit the viewing requested broadcast program to the networkinterface 320. The controller 340 may control displaying the broadcastprogram received by the network interface 320.

FIG. 48 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on whichcontent is displayed, FIG. 49 is a diagram illustrating one embodimentof a screen on which content is displayed in a simultaneous viewingmode, and FIG. 50 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of ascreen on which content is displayed in a simultaneous viewing mode.

Referring to FIGS. 48 to 50, the display 302 may display a screen 4800.The screen 4800 displays content.

If the controller 340 detects a user action for requesting display ofcontent, the controller 340 may control displaying the screen 4800 inresponse to the detected user action. Also, if the controller 340detects a user action for requesting a simultaneous viewing mode duringdisplay of the screen 4800, the controller 340 may control display of ascreen 4900 or a screen 5000. The controller 340 may convert the screen4900 to the screen 5000 or convert the screen 5000 to the screen 4900according to a user action for requesting mode conversion.

The screen 4900 includes a content display region 4910 and a chat region4920. The content display region 4910 displays content of the screen4800, and the chat region 4920 includes a chat window 4930 and a chatinput window 4940. The chat window 4930 shows a chat partner 4931 and achat phrase 4932 input by a chat partner. The user can input a chatphrase into the chat input window 4940.

The screen 5000 may include a content display region 5010, a chat inputwindow 5020, silhouette selecting marks 5021 to 5028, and silhouettes5031, 5033, 5035 and 5037. The silhouettes 5031, 5033, 5035 and 5037respectively represent chat partners. The silhouette 5031 represents achat partner ‘Arry’, the silhouette 5033 represents a chat partner‘David’, the silhouette 5035 represents the user who is in charge of thechat, and the silhouette 5037 represents a chat partner ‘Susan’. A chatphrase may be displayed at a location associated with the user or thechat partner who inputs the chat phrase. For example, if the chatpartner ‘David’ inputs a chat phrase 5043, the chat phrase 5043 isdisplayed at a location associated with the silhouette 5033 of ‘David’.

If the controller 340 detects a user action for selecting one of thesilhouette selecting marks 5021 to 5028, the controller 340 controlsdisplay of the silhouette 5035 of the user in response to the detecteduser action such that the silhouette 5035 is converted to a silhouetteimage associated with the selected silhouette selecting mark.Additionally, the controller 340 may transmit a signal to requestconversion to the silhouette image to the server 10, the server 20, orother electronic devices.

A human channel owner who is viewing the same content may be determinedas a chat partner. More particularly, the human channel owner who isviewing the same content as that displayed on the screen 4800 may beautomatically determined as a chat partner. In some embodiments, thecontroller 340 may confirm the owner based on information included inthe above described channel guiding signal of FIG. 35. In someembodiments, the controller 340 may receive an owner list, including thehuman channel owner who is viewing the same content, from the server 10and confirm the owner via the received owner list.

FIG. 51 is a diagram illustrating a further embodiment of a screen onwhich content is displayed in a simultaneous viewing mode.

Referring to FIG. 51, silhouettes 5110, 5120, 5130, 5140 and 5150 may bedisplayed as 3D images having a particular depth value 5160. Moreparticularly, the silhouettes 5031, 5033, 5035 and 5037 of FIG. 50 maybe respectively displayed as the 3D images 5110, 5120, 5130 and 5140.

FIG. 52 is a diagram explaining an embodiment of a method for confirmingviewing of the same content.

Referring to FIG. 52, a controller of an electronic device 5210 maycontrol transmission of an image frame request signal 5221 to anelectronic device 5250. The electronic device 5250 may be an electronicdevice associated with a human channel included in a human channel mapthat is stored in the electronic device 5210. The image frame requestsignal 5211 may be transmitted to the electronic device or the serveraccording to a connection method associated with a channel numberincluded in the human channel map.

The image frame request signal 5211 may be a signal to request that animage frame be displayed for a particular period of time M starting froma particular time T. The electronic device 5250 receives the image framerequest signal 5211 and acquires an image frame 5253 to be displayed fora particular period of time M starting from a particular time Taccording to the received image frame request signal 5211. Thecontroller of the electronic device 5210 controls acquisition of animage frame 5213 to be displayed for a particular period of time Mstarting from a particular time T.

The electronic device 5250 transmits an image frame transmission signal5255 to the electronic device 5210. The image frame transmission signal5255 includes the image frame 5253.

The electronic device 5210 receives the transmitted image frametransmission signal 5255 and executes a comparison algorithm 5215 toconfirm whether or not the image frame 5253 included in the receivedimage frame transmission signal 5255 is equal to the image frame 5213.If the two image frames are equal to each other, the controller of theelectronic device 5210 confirms that an owner of a human channelassociated with the electronic device 5210 is viewing the same content.If the two image frames are not equal to each other, the controller ofthe electronic device 5210 can confirm that the owner is not viewing thesame content. The comparison algorithm 5215 can confirm the equality ofimage frames in sequence starting from a particular time T. In thiscase, if the image frames have different resolutions, confirmation ofthe equality may be performed after equalizing the resolutions of theimage frame 5213 and the image frame 5253.

With the method for confirming viewing of the same content as describedin relation to FIG. 52, a controller of one electronic device canconfirm whether or not content displayed thereon is equal to contentdisplayed on another electronic device, irrespective of differentservice providers and transmission media.

FIG. 53 is a diagram explaining a method for detecting user emotions.

Referring to FIG. 53, while a viewer 5301 is viewing content 5300, theimage capture device 301 may capture an image of the viewer 5301.

The controller 340 detects a face zone from the captured image frame ofthe viewer 5301 output by the image capture device 301. Then, thecontroller 340 confirms the emotions of the viewer 5301 based on thedetected face zone. The controller 340 may produce emotion dataindicating the confirmed emotions and then, control transmission of theproduced emotion data to an electronic device of a chat partner.

The image capture device 301 may capture the image of the viewer 5301 ata preset interval. The controller 340 may confirm the emotions of theviewer 5301 at the preset interval and then, produce emotion data ifemotion change occurs, thereby controlling transmission of the emotiondata to the electronic device of the chat partner.

FIG. 54 is a diagram illustrating the contour of a silhouette mapped touser emotions.

Referring to FIG. 54, the storage unit 345 may store the contour of asilhouette associated with particular emotions. For example, the storageunit 345 may store the contour of a silhouette 5410 associated withsadness, the contour of a silhouette 5420 associated with anger, and thecontour of a silhouette 5430 associated with happiness.

FIG. 55 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on whichdifferent silhouettes depending on user emotions are displayed.

Referring to FIG. 55, the controller 340 may acquire the contour of asilhouette associated with the confirmed emotions from the storage unit345 and control display of a silhouette of an owner of the electronicdevice 300 such that the silhouette is converted to the acquired contourof a silhouette. Also, the controller 340 may acquire the contour of asilhouette, associated with emotions indicated by emotion datatransmitted from the electronic device of the chat partner, from thestorage unit 345 and control display of a silhouette of the chat partnersuch that the silhouette is converted to the acquired contour of asilhouette.

In one example, if it is confirmed that the owner of the electronicdevice 300 is angry, the controller 340 controls display of a silhouette5520. If the controller 340 receives emotion data indicating sadnessfrom an electronic device of a first chat partner, the controller 340controls display of a silhouette of the first chat partner as asilhouette 5510. In addition, if the controller 340 receives emotiondata indicating happiness from an electronic device of a second chatpartner, the controller 340 controls display of a silhouette of thesecond chat partner as a silhouette 5530.

FIG. 56 is a diagram explaining a procedure for registering a facialimage, and FIG. 57 is a diagram explaining a procedure for training afacial image.

Referring to FIGS. 56 and 57, the electronic device 300 may receive auser facial image 5620 on a per emotion basis registered by a user 5610.In one example, the electronic device 300 may receive an angry facialimage 5710, a sad facial image 5720 and a happy facial image 5730, whichare registered by the user 5610. The storage unit 345 may store therespective registered facial images 5710, 5720 and 5730 on a per emotionbasis.

The controller 340 may compare the facial images on a per emotion basisstored in the storage unit 345 with a facial image 5740 detected from animage frame of a viewer which is captured while the viewer is viewingcontent and then, confirm one of the stored facial images that is mostsimilar to the facial image 5740. The controller 340 may confirm theemotions of the confirmed facial image as the emotions of the viewer.Also, the controller 340 may store the facial image 5740 as a facialimage having the confirmed emotions in the storage unit 345. In oneexample, if it is confirmed that the facial image 5740 is most similarto the facial image 5710, the controller 340 may add the facial image5740 as an angry emotional facial image, similar to the facial image5710, to the storage unit 345. With such addition of the facial image,the electronic device 300 can more accurately confirm the emotions ofthe viewer.

FIG. 58 is a diagram explaining a method for detecting a user motion.

Referring to FIG. 58, while a viewer 5801 is viewing content 5800, theimage capture device 301 may capture an image of the viewer 5801.

The controller 340 detects a user motion 5810 from a captured imageframe of the viewer 5801 output by the image capture device 301. Then,the controller 340 may produce motion data indicating the confirmedmotion 5810 and then, control transmission of the produced motion datato the electronic device of the chat partner.

The image capture device 301 may capture the image of the viewer 5801 ata preset interval. The controller 340 may confirm the motion of theviewer 5301 at the preset interval and then, produce motion data ifmotion change occurs, thereby controlling transmission of the motiondata to the electronic device of the chat partner.

The controller 340 may control display of a silhouette of the owner ofthe electronic device 300 such that the silhouette represents theconfirmed motion 5810. Also, the controller 340 may control display of asilhouette of the chat partner such that the silhouette is converted tothe contour of a silhouette representing a motion indicated by themotion data transmitted from the electronic device of the chat partner.

FIGS. 59A to 59D are diagrams explaining a method for reflecting ascreen effect on content.

Referring to FIGS. 59A to 59D, a screen effect window 5910 may bedisplayed on a screen 5900. The screen effect window 5910 may includeone or more screen effect selecting regions 5911, 5912 and 5913. Theuser may perform a user action for selecting one of the screen effectselecting regions 5911, 5912 and 5913, and the controller 340 may detectthe user action as a user action for requesting a screen effect. Thecontroller 340 may detect the user action for requesting a screeneffect, produce screen effect data indicating the screen effect inresponse to the detected user action, and control transmission of theproduced effect data to the electronic device of the chat partner. Inone example, if the user performs a user action 5920 for selecting thescreen effect selecting region 5911, the controller 340 may producescreen effect data indicating a screen effect of the screen effectselecting region 5911 and then, control transmission of the producedscreen effect data to the electronic device of the chat partner.

In addition, if the user performs the user action 5920 for selecting thescreen effect selecting region 5911, the controller 340 controls displayof a mark 5930 indicating that the screen effect selecting region 5911is selected and then, controls reflection of a screen effect 5940 of thescreen effect selecting region 5911 on the displayed content 5900. Here,a position of the screen effect 5940 may be selected as the user clicksa corresponding region.

If the controller 340 receives the screen effect data from theelectronic device of the chat partner, the controller 340 may controlreflecting an effect indicated by the received screen effect data on thedisplayed content 5900.

The controller 340 may control the video decoder 330 to change pixeldata of the image frame according to the screen effect. Additionally,the controller 340 may produce On Screen Display (OSD) according to thescreen effect, thereby controlling display of the OSD on a contentdisplay region.

FIG. 60 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for remotely viewingcontent at the same time.

Referring to FIG. 60, the controller 340 detects a user action forrequesting display of content (S1200).

The controller 340 confirms whether or not a viewing mode is asimultaneous viewing mode in response to the detected user action(S1210). The simultaneous viewing mode may be setup by initial values,or may be setup by the user as necessary.

If the viewing mode is the simultaneous viewing mode, the controller 340confirms the presence of a human channel owner who is viewing therequested content (S1220). Here, Step S1220 may include animplementation procedure of a method for confirming viewing of the samecontent that will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 64 or65.

The controller 340 controls display of content in the simultaneousviewing mode (S1230). The display 302 may display one of the screen4900, the screen 5000 and the screen 5100. The screen 4900, the screen5000 and the screen 5100 may represent the owner confirmed in Step S1220as a chat partner. That is, the owner confirmed in Step S1220 becomes achat partner.

If the viewing mode is not the simultaneous viewing mode, the controller340 controls display of the requested content (S1240). The display 302may display the screen 4800.

The method for remotely viewing content at the same time of FIG. 60 mayfurther include an implementation procedure of a method that will bedescribed hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 67 to 70.

FIG. 61 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for remotelyviewing content at the same time.

Referring to FIG. 61, the display 302 displays content (S1300). Thedisplay 302 may display the screen 4800.

The controller 340 detects a user action for requesting a simultaneousviewing mode (S1310).

The controller 340 confirms the presence of a human channel owner who isviewing the displayed content in response to the detected user action(S1320). Here, Step S1320 may include the implementation procedure ofthe method for confirming viewing of the same content that will bedescribed hereinafter with reference to FIG. 64 or 65.

The controller 340 controls display of content in the simultaneousviewing mode (S1330). The display 302 may display one of the screen4900, the screen 5000 and the screen 5100. The screen 4900, the screen5000 and the screen 5100 may represent the owner confirmed in Step S1320as a chat partner. That is, the owner confirmed in Step S1320 becomes achat partner.

The method for remotely viewing content at the same time of FIG. 61 mayfurther include the implementation procedure of the method that will bedescribed hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 67 to 70.

FIG. 62 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for remotelyviewing content at the same time.

Referring to FIG. 62, the display 302 displays content (S1400). Thedisplay 302 may display the screen 4800.

The controller 340 confirms the presence of a human channel owner who isviewing the displayed content (S1410). Here, Step S1410 may include theimplementation procedure of the method for confirming viewing of thesame content that will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG.64 or 65.

The controller 340 detects a user action for requesting a simultaneousviewing mode (S1420).

The controller 340 controls display of content in the simultaneousviewing mode in response to the detected user action (S1430). Thedisplay 302 may display one of the screen 4900, the screen 5000 and thescreen 5100. The screen 4900, the screen 5000 and the screen 5100 mayrepresent the owner confirmed in Step S1410 as a chat partner. That is,the owner confirmed in Step S1410 becomes a chat partner.

The method for remotely viewing content at the same time of FIG. 62 mayfurther include the implementation procedure of the method that will beillustrated hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 67 to 70.

FIG. 63 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of afurther exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for remotelyviewing content at the same time.

Referring to FIG. 63, the display 302 displays content (S1500). Thedisplay 302 may display the screen 1600, the screen 3500, or the screen4800.

The controller 340 detects a user action for requesting invitation toview a channel (S1510). In one example, the user action may be an actionfor dragging a screen on which content is displayed and dropping thecontent to a human channel listed in a human channel map. Moreparticularly, the controller 340 may detect the user action forrequesting invitation to view a channel if the image 3630 illustrated inFIG. 36 is dragged to and drops onto the human channel number ‘43’. Inanother example, the user action may be a combination of a user actionfor selecting a displayed broadcast program and a user action forselecting a human channel (or a channel number).

The controller 340 controls transmission of a channel viewing requestsignal in response to the detected user action (S1520). The channelviewing request signal may have the format 3800 illustrated in FIG. 38.

In some embodiments, the controller 340 may control transmission of thechannel viewing request signal to the electronic device which providesthe human channel indicated by the channel number designated by the useraction in Step S1510. An address of the electronic device may beacquired by the above described method of FIGS. 19 to 21.

In some embodiments, the controller 340 may control transmission of thechannel viewing request signal to the server. The server may be theserver 10 illustrated in FIG. 1.

The network interface 320 receives a response signal with respect to thechannel viewing request signal (S1530). The response signal may be oneof a viewing acceptance signal, a viewing not possible signal and aviewing rejection signal.

If the response signal is a viewing acceptance signal, the controller340 controls display of content in the simultaneous viewing mode(S1540). The display 302 may display one of the screen 4900, the screen5000 and the screen 5100. Also, the screen 4900, the screen 5000 and thescreen 5100 may represent an owner of a human channel associated withthe electronic device which has transmitted the viewing acceptancesignal. The owner becomes a chat partner.

The method for remotely viewing content at the same time of FIG. 63 mayfurther include the implementation procedure of the method that will bedescribed hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 67 to 70.

FIG. 64 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for confirming viewing ofthe same content.

Referring to FIG. 64, the controller 340 acquires an address of theelectronic device based on a human channel map (S1600). The humanchannel map may be the human channel map 1210 of FIG. 12, or may includethe human channel map 1210, the first connection information map 1230,the second connection information map 1240, the third connectioninformation map 1250, the fourth connection information map 1260 and thefifth connection information map 1270 as illustrated in FIG. 12. Theaddress of the electronic device may be acquired by the above describedmethod of FIGS. 19 to 21. The electronic device may be limited to anonline electronic device.

The controller 340 controls transmission of a viewing informationrequest signal using the acquired address of the electronic device(S1610). The viewing information request signal may be the image framerequest signal as described above in relation to FIG. 52.

The network interface 320 receives a viewing information signal (S1620).In some embodiments, the viewing information signal may have the format3800 illustrated in FIG. 38. In some embodiments, the viewinginformation signal may be the image frame transmission signal asdescribed above in relation to FIG. 52.

The controller 340 confirms the presence of a human channel owner who isviewing the displayed content based on the received viewing informationsignal (S1630). In some embodiments, the controller 340 may confirm theowner by comparing the above described information of FIG. 38. In someembodiments, the controller 340 may confirm the owner based on the abovedescribed comparison algorithm 5215 of FIG. 52.

FIG. 65 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for confirmingviewing of the same content.

Referring to FIG. 65, the controller 340 controls transmission of anowner list request signal to the server (S1700). The transmitted ownerlist request signal may be a signal to request a list of owners who areviewing the displayed content. The server may be the server 10.

The network interface 320 receives an owner list from the server(S1710). The owner list includes owners who are viewing the displayedcontent. In some embodiments, the owner list may further include atleast one of emotion data or motion data of owners included therein.

The controller 340 confirms the owners included in the received ownerlist as owners who are viewing the displayed content (S1720).

FIG. 66 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for providing a viewinglist.

Referring to FIG. 66, the server 10 receives a channel viewing signalincluding content viewing information from the electronic device(S1800). The received content viewing information may include the abovedescribed information of FIG. 38. In some embodiments, the contentviewing information may further include at least one of emotion data ormotion data of the owner of the human channel associated with theelectronic device.

The server 10 constructs a viewing map using the received contentviewing information (S1810). The constructed viewing map may include atleast one of identification information about content that every humanchannel owner is viewing, emotion data, motion data or groupinformation. The group information indicates a group of owners who areviewing the same content.

The server 10 receives an owner list request signal from the electronicdevice (S1820). The owner list request signal corresponds to the abovedescribed owner list request signal of FIG. 65.

The server 10 constructs an owner list using the constructed viewing map(S1830). The owner list corresponds to the above described owner list ofFIG. 65. The server 10 may add owners having the same group informationto the owner list.

The server 10 transmits the constructed owner list to the electronicdevice that has transmitted the owner list request signal (S1840).

FIG. 67 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for displaying asilhouette.

Referring to FIG. 67, the controller 340 detects a face zone of an ownerfrom an image captured by the owner (S1900). The owner may be a humanchannel owner or a viewer who is viewing content. In one example, theowner may be the viewer 5301 of FIG. 53. The image capture device 301may capture an image of the owner at a preset interval, and thecontroller 340 may detect a face of the owner from the captured image atthe preset interval.

The controller 340 confirms the emotions of the owner based on thedetected face zone (S1910). The controller 340 may confirm the emotionsof the owner by the above described method of FIGS. 56 and 57. Then, thecontroller 340 may produce emotion data indicating the confirmedemotions. In some embodiments, the controller 340 may produce emotiondata if emotion change occurs.

The controller 340 controls transmission of the emotion data indicatingthe confirmed emotions (S1920). In some embodiments, the controller 340may control transmission of the emotion data if emotion change occurs.

The controller 340 controls change of the contour of a silhouetteaccording to the confirmed emotions (S1930). The controller 340 maychange the contour of a silhouette using the above described method ofFIG. 55.

The network interface 320 receives emotion data (S1940). In someembodiments, the emotion data may be transmitted from the electronicdevice of the chat partner. In some embodiments, the emotion data may betransmitted from the server 10.

The controller 340 controls change of the contour of a silhouette of anowner who has transmitted the emotion data according to the receivedemotion data (S1950). The controller 340 may change the contour of asilhouette using the above described method of FIG. 55.

FIG. 68 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for displaying asilhouette.

Referring to FIG. 68, the controller 340 detects a motion of an owner(S2000). The owner may be an owner of a human channel and may be aviewer who is viewing content. In one example, the owner may be theviewer 5801 of FIG. 58, and the controller 340 may detect a motion ofthe owner by the above described method of FIG. 58.

In some embodiments, the image capture device 301 may capture an imageof the owner, and the controller 340 may detect a motion of the ownerfrom an image frame included in the captured image of the owner.

The controller 340 produces motion data indicating the detected motion(S2010). In some embodiments, the controller 340 may produce motion dataif motion change occurs.

The controller 340 controls transmission of the produced motion data(S2020). In some embodiments, the controller 340 may controltransmission of the motion data if motion change occurs.

The controller 340 controls change of the contour of a silhouetteaccording to the detected motion (S2030). The controller 340 may changethe contour of a silhouette using the above described method of FIG. 58.

The network interface 320 receives motion data (S2040). In someembodiments, the motion data may be transmitted from the electronicdevice of the chat partner. In some embodiments, the motion data may betransmitted from the server 10.

The controller 340 controls change of the contour of a silhouette of anowner who has transmitted motion data according to the received motiondata (S2050). The controller 340 may change the contour of a silhouetteusing the above described method of FIG. 58.

FIG. 69 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for displaying a silhouetteas a 3D image.

Referring to FIG. 69, the controller 340 selects a silhouette image(S2100). The silhouette image may be selected by the above describedmethod of FIG. 67 or 68. More particularly, the silhouette image may beselected according to the detected emotions or emotions indicated by thereceived emotion data, or may be selected according to the detectedmotion or a motion indicated by the detected motion data.

The controller 340 produces a left view image and a right view imageusing the selected silhouette image (S2110). In one example, theproduced left view image and the produced right view image may beutilized to display the silhouette 5110 of FIG. 51.

The controller 340 controls mixing of each of the produced left viewimage and the produced right view image with an image frame of contentto be displayed (S2120). The mixer 360 may mix the left view image withthe image frame of the content to thereby produce a left view imageframe, or may mix the right view image with the image frame of thecontent to thereby produce a right view image frame. In one example, theimage frame may be the image frame displayed on the screen of FIG. 51.

The formatter 370 may perform sampling of the left view image frame andthe right view image frame output by the mixer 360 to obtain a 3D outputformat that can be displayed as a 3D image by the display 302.

The display 302 displays a mixed image frame (S2130). The mixed imageframe may be an image frame having the 3D output format obtained bysampling the left view image frame and the right view image frameproduced by the mixer 360 in Step S2120. In one example, the display 302may display the screen 5100 in Step S2130.

FIG. 70 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for sharing a screeneffect.

Referring to FIG. 70, the controller 340 detects a user action forrequesting a screen effect (S2200). The user action may be a user actionfor selecting one of the screen effect selecting regions 5911, 5912 and5913 of FIGS. 59A to 59D.

The controller 340 produces screen effect data indicating the requestedscreen effect in response to the detected user action (S2210).

The controller 340 transmits the produced screen effect data to theelectronic device of the chat partner or the server 10 (S2220).

The controller 340 controls reflection of the requested screen effect onthe displayed content (S2230). The display 302 may display the screen5900 of FIG. 59D.

The network interface 320 receives screen effect data from theelectronic device of the chat partner or the server 10 (S2240).

The controller 340 controls reflection of the screen effect indicated bythe received screen effect data on the displayed content (S2250). Thedisplay 302 may display the screen 5900 of FIG. 59D.

FIG. 71 is a diagram illustrating a broadcast screen on which oneexemplary embodiment of a channel map is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 71, the display 302 may display a screen 7100. If thecontroller 340 detects a user action for requesting a channel map in astate in which a broadcast program 7110 is displayed on the screen 7100,the controller 340 controls displaying a broadcast channel map 7120 onthe screen 7100 in response to the detected user action. In someembodiments, the user action for requesting the channel map may be anaction in which the user presses a hot key for the channel map or a menuitem for the channel map.

If the controller 340 detects a user action for requesting channel mapswitch in a state in which a human channel map 7220 illustrated in FIG.72 or an App channel map 7320 illustrated in FIG. 73 is displayed, thecontroller 340 controls displaying the broadcast channel map 7120.

The broadcast channel map 7120 lists broadcast channels (e.g., CNN),today's broadcast content on broadcast channels (e.g., CNN News) andchannel numbers associated with the broadcast channels (e.g., 39). Withrelation to the broadcast program 7110 being displayed, a correspondingbroadcast channel ‘NBC’, broadcast program name or title ‘Home’ andchannel number ‘37’ are listed in a line indicated by an indicator. Ifthe user performs a user action for selecting one of the broadcastchannels listed in the broadcast channel map 7120, the controller 340controls displaying a broadcast program of the selected broadcastchannel.

FIG. 72 is a diagram illustrating a broadcast screen on which anotherexemplary embodiment of a channel map is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 72, the display 302 may display a screen 7200. If thecontroller 340 detects a user action for requesting channel map switchin a state in which the broadcast channel map 7120 illustrated in FIG.71 or the App channel map 7320 illustrated in FIG. 73 is displayed, thecontroller 340 controls displaying the human channel map 7220. In someembodiments, the user action may be an action in which the user pressesone of a left key and a right key of a remote controller.

During display of the human channel map 7220, the controller 340 maycontrol displaying content of one human channel listed in the humanchannel map 7220. The content may be received according to Step S310 ofFIG. 18. The human channel map 7220 may be identical to the humanchannel map 1510 illustrated in FIG. 15.

FIG. 73 is a diagram illustrating a broadcast screen on which a furtherexemplary embodiment of a channel map is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 73, the display 302 may display a screen 7300. If thecontroller 340 detects a user action for requesting channel map switchin a state in which the broadcast channel map 7120 illustrated in FIG.71 or the human channel map 7220 illustrated in FIG. 72 is displayed,the controller 340 controls displaying the App channel map 7320. In someembodiments, the user action may be an action in which the user pressesone of a left key and a right key of a remote controller.

The App channel map 7320 lists App channels (e.g., Netflix), App contentand channel numbers associated with the App channels (e.g., 55). Thecontroller 340 may control display of the App channel map 7320 in such amanner that a line, on which an App channel ‘Google’ which provides Appcontent ‘Google Earth’, denoted by reference numeral 7310, displayed onthe screen 7300, and a channel number ‘56’ are listed, is indicated byan indicator. The controller 340 may control display of the App channelmap 7320 in such a manner that App content of one App channel listed inthe App channel map 7320 is displayed. If the user performs a useraction for selecting one of the App channels listed in the App channelmap 7320, the controller 340 may control displaying App content of theselected App channel.

FIG. 74 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which one exemplaryembodiment of a full channel map is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 74, the display 302 may display a screen 7400. If thecontroller 340 detects a user action for requesting a full channel map,the controller 340 may control displaying a full channel map on thescreen 7400 in response to the detected user action. The full channelmap may be a channel map that is displayed in a full channel mode, forexample, on the entire display area or a full screen image. In someembodiments, the user action may be an action in which the user pressesa hot key for the full channel map or a menu item for the full channelmap.

The full channel map 7400 may display multiple channels mapscorresponding to different types of content, for example, broadcastcontent, SNS content, and application content. The different types ofcontent may be associated with different types of channels. The fullchannel map 7400 includes a line 7410 on which at least one broadcastchannel is listed, a line 7420 on which at least one human channel islisted and a line 7430 on which at least one App channel is listed.These lines 7410, 7420 and 7430 are respectively provided at the firstcell thereof with a mark 7411, 7421, 7431 indicating which one of thebroadcast channel, human channel or App channel is listed. The mark7411, 7421, 7431 may be an icon or a selectable link, and may include animage representative of the type of channel. In one embodiment, aselection of a mark may display a channel map of the corresponding typeon the full screen. For example, if the mark 7411 for broadcast channelis selected, each of the three rows 7410, 7420, 7430 may broadcastchannels.

In some embodiments, the full channel map may be organized in such amanner that at least one broadcast channel is listed on one line, atleast one human channel is listed on another line and at least one Appchannel is listed on the other line.

In the full channel map 7400, movement between channels in the same linemay depend upon input of a left key or a right key, and movement betweendifferent lines may depend upon input of an up key or a down key. If theuser performs a user action for designating one of the channels listedin the full channel map 7400, the controller 340 may control displayingcontent of the designated channel. The content may be received accordingto Step S310 illustrated in FIG. 18.

FIG. 75 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which another exemplaryembodiment of a full channel map is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 75, the display 302 may display a screen 7500. If thecontroller 340 detects a user action for requesting a full channel map,the controller 340 may control displaying a full channel map on thescreen 7500 in response to the detected user action. In someembodiments, the user action may be an action in which the user pressesa hot key for the full channel map or a menu item for the pull channelmap.

The full channel map 7500 lists broadcast channels 7510, human channels7520 and 7530 and App channels 7540. The full channel map 7500 may listthese channels in order of channel numbers. The full channel map 7500may be sorted alphabetically, by user rating (e.g., favorites), based ontype of channel, or the full channel map 7500 may be displayed in acustom order as set by a user. In the example as illustrated in FIG. 75,in the full channel map 7500, a broadcast channel ‘Star Plus’corresponding to a channel number ‘20’ is located at an uppermostposition, a radio channel ‘MTV Radio’ corresponding to a channel number‘21’ is located immediately below the broadcast channel ‘Star Plus’, anda human channel ‘Brandon’ corresponding to a channel number ‘22’ islocated immediately below the radio channel ‘MTV Radio’. An App channel‘Picasa’ corresponding to a channel number ‘26’ is located at alowermost position. Channels of different types may be assigned the samechannel numbers (e.g., SNS channel 26 for Susan and App Channel 26 forPicasa). In this case, channels may be sorted based on type aspredetermined or set by the user.

When the user inputs a particular number, channel numbers associatedwith the particular number may be listed in the full channel map 7500. Aregion 7505 of the full channel map 7500 shows a number input by theuser. In the drawing, as the region 7505 shows “2-”, channels, whichhave channel numbers in a range of 20 to 29 associated with “2-”, aredisplayed on the full channel map 7500.

If the user performs a user action for designating one of the channelslisted in the full channel map 7500, the controller 340 may controldisplaying content of the designated channel. The content may bereceived according to Step S310 illustrated in FIG. 18.

FIG. 76 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which another exemplaryembodiment of a full channel map is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 76, the display 302 may display a full channel map7600. If the controller 340 detects a user action for requesting a fullchannel map, the controller 340 may control displaying a full channelmap 7600 on a screen in response to the detected user action. In someembodiments, the user action may be an action in which the user pressesa hot key for the full channel map or a menu item for the full channelmap.

The full channel map 7600 includes a broadcast channel sheet (or page),a human channel sheet and an App channel sheet. The broadcast channelsheet, human channel sheet and App channel sheet may be selectedrespectively using a sheet tab 7601, a sheet tab 7602 and a sheet tab7603. Specifically, if the user performs an action of pressing one ofthe sheet tabs 7601, 7602 and 7603, the controller 340 may controldisplaying a sheet associated with the pressed sheet tab.

During display of the full channel map 7600 on the screen, thecontroller 340 may control displaying one of the broadcast channelsheet, human channel sheet and App channel sheet. In FIG. 76, abroadcast channel sheet 7610 is displayed. The broadcast channel sheet7610 may include a mark 7612 indicating that the broadcast channel is aTV channel and a mark 7614 indicating that the broadcast channel is aradio channel. Each cell of the broadcast channel sheet 7610 includes abroadcast channel (e.g., Colors) and a channel number (e.g., T01)associated with the broadcast channel. If the user performs an action ofpressing one of cells on the broadcast channel sheet 7610, thecontroller 340 controls displaying a broadcast program on the broadcastchannel of the pressed cell.

FIG. 77 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which the human channelsheet of the full channel map of FIG. 76 is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 77, if the user performs a user action for selectingthe sheet tab 7602, the controller 340 detects the user action andcontrols displaying a human channel sheet 7710 of the full channel map7700 in response to the detected user action.

Each cell of the human channel sheet 7710 includes a human channel(e.g., Brandon) and a channel number (e.g., 22) associated with thehuman channel. If the user performs an action of pressing one of cellson the human channel sheet 7710, the controller 340 may controldisplaying content of the human channel of the pressed cell. The contentmay be received according to Step S310 illustrated in FIG. 18.

FIG. 78 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which the App channelsheet of the full channel map of FIG. 76 is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 78, if the user performs an action for selecting thesheet tab 7603, the controller 340 detects the user action and controlsdisplaying an App channel sheet 4210 on the full channel map 7800 inresponse to the detected user action.

Each of the App channel sheet 7810 includes an App channel (e.g., NFS9)and a channel number (e.g., 01) associated with the App channel. If theuser performs an action of pressing one of cells on the App channelsheet 7810, the controller 340 may control displaying content of the Appchannel of the pressed cell.

FIG. 79 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which an exemplaryembodiment of a recently viewed channel map is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 79, the display 302 may display a recently viewedchannel map 7900. If the controller 340 detects a user action forrequesting a recently viewed channel map, the controller 340 may controldisplaying the recently viewed channel map 7900 on a screen in responseto the detected user action. In some embodiments, the user action may bean action in which the user presses a hot key for the recently viewedchannel map or a menu item for the recently viewed channel map.

The recently viewed channel map 7900 lists broadcast channels, humanchannels and App channels displayed within a preset period. The presetperiod may be 1 day, 7 days, 10 days, 15 days and 30 days. The presetperiod may be an initially set value, or may be set by the user.

The recently viewed channel map 7900 displays channels on a per linebasis. The first cell of each line indicates that the channelcorresponds to which one of the broadcast channel, human channel and Appchannel. For example, a mark ‘TV’ on the first cell indicates abroadcast channel, a mark ‘Radio’ indicates a radio channel, a mark‘SNS’ indicates a human channel and a mark ‘APP’ indicates an Appchannel.

The recently viewed channel map 7900 may list the channels in reverseorder of displayed time. For example, in the recently viewed channel map7900, a broadcast channel ‘Set Max’, which was broadcast before abroadcast channel ‘Star Plus’, is located behind the broadcast channel‘Start Plus’.

If the user performs a user action of pressing one of the lines listedin the recently viewed channel map 7900, the controller 340 may controldisplaying content of the channel indicated by the pressed line. Thecontent may be received according to Step S310 illustrated in FIG. 18.

FIG. 80 is a diagram illustrating a screen on which a further exemplaryembodiment of a full channel map is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 80, the display 302 may display a full channel map8000. If the controller 340 detects a user action for requesting a fullchannel map, the controller 340 may control displaying the full channelmap 8000 on a screen in response to the detected user action. The useraction may be an action in which the user presses a hot key for the fullchannel map or a menu item for the full channel map.

The full channel map 8000 has the same configuration as the full channelmap 7400 and further includes connection state marks 8050 and 8055 (alsostatus indicator) for indicating the online state of an owner of a humanchannel. A first connection state mark 8050 indicates a first onlinestate which represents whether or not the owner of the human channel isonline via an electronic device. A second connection state mark 8055indicates a second online state which represents whether or not theowner is logged in to a server. The server may be the server 10 or theserver 20 illustrated in FIG. 1, and the electronic device may be thefirst digital TV 100, the second digital TV 110, the personal computersystem 120, the notebook computer 130 or the mobile terminal 140illustrated in FIG. 1. That the owner is online via the electronicdevice means that another electronic device is connectable to theelectronic device through a human channel. That the owner is logged into the server means that another owner may communicate with the ownerthrough the network 1. For example, if the first connection state mark8050 is inactive (off) and the second connection state mark 8055 isactive (on), the owner is not connected through their digital TV but isconnected through their SNS account.

Information about the online state of the owner may be received from theelectronic device or the server. The electronic device may periodicallyreceive information about the first online state or information aboutthe second online state from the server.

The electronic device may transmit information about the first onlinestate to an electronic device or server associated with the humanchannel stored in the human channel map. In some embodiments, theelectronic device may transmit information about the first online stateto all electronic devices associated with the human channel. In someembodiments, the electronic device may transmit information about thefirst online state to an electronic device which is online, among theelectronic devices associated with the human channel.

FIGS. 81A to 81D are diagrams illustrating the online state of the ownerof the human channel.

The online state of the owner of the human channel may be illustrated asin FIGS. 81A to 81D. The human channel map 8000 may provide humanchannels listed therein with connection state marks as illustrated inFIGS. 81A to 81D.

In FIG. 81A, a connection state mark 8111 indicates the first onlinestate for representing that the owner of the human channel is notonline, and a connection state mark 8115 indicates the second onlinestate for representing that the owner is not logged in to the server.

In FIG. 81B, a connection state mark 8121 indicates the first onlinestate for representing that the owner of the human channel is online,and a connection state mark 8125 indicates the second online state forrepresenting that the owner is not logged in to the server.

In FIG. 81C, a connection state mark 8131 indicates the first onlinestate for representing that the owner of the human channel is notonline, and a connection state mark 8135 indicates the second onlinestate for representing that the owner is logged in to the server.

In FIG. 81D, a connection state mark 8141 indicates the first onlinestate for representing that the owner of the human channel is online,and a connection state mark 8145 indicates the second online state forrepresenting that the owner is logged in to the server.

FIG. 82 is a flowchart illustrating an implement procedure of anexemplary embodiment for a method of providing a channel map service inaccordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 82, the display 302 displays a broadcast channel mapincluding at least one broadcast channel on a screen on which content isbeing displayed (S2300). The broadcast channel map may be the broadcastchannel map 7120 illustrated in FIG. 71.

The controller 340 detects a first user action for requesting channelmap switch (S2305). In some embodiments, the first user action may be anaction in which the user presses one of an up key, a down key, a leftkey and a right key of a remote controller.

The controller 340 switches the displayed broadcast channel map to ahuman channel map including at least one human channel in response tothe detected first user action (S2310). The controller 340 may controldisplaying content of one of human channels included in the humanchannel map on the screen. The selected human channel may have a firstchannel number, a medium channel number or a last channel number, andmay be a human channel more recently displayed than other humanchannels. The human channel map may be the human channel map 7220illustrated in FIG. 72.

The controller 340 detects a second user action for requesting channelswitch (S2315). In some embodiments, the second user action may be anaction in which the user presses one of an up key, a down key, a leftkey and a right key of a remote controller. In some embodiments, if thefirst user action for requesting channel map switch is an action ofpressing the left key or right key of a remote controller, the seconduser action for requesting channel switch may be an action of pressingthe up key or down key of the remote controller.

The controller 340 switches a selected human channel to another humanchannel in the human channel map in response to the detected second useraction (S2320).

The controller 340 controls displaying content of the switched humanchannel (S2325). The content may be received according to Step S310 inFIG. 18.

The controller 340 detects a third user action for requesting channelmap switch (S2330).

The controller 340 switches the human channel map to an App channel mapincluding at least one App channel in response to the detected thirduser action (S2335). The App channel map may be the App channel map 7320illustrated in FIG. 73.

The controller 340 detects a fourth user action for requesting a fullchannel map (S2340). In some embodiments, the fourth user action may bean action in which the user presses a hot key for the full channel mapor a menu item for the full channel map.

The controller 340 controls displaying a full channel map including theat least one broadcast channel, the at least one human channel and theat least one App channel in response to the detected fourth user action(S2345). The full channel map may be one of the full channel map 7400illustrated in FIG. 74, the full channel map 7500 illustrated in FIG.75, the full channel map 7600 illustrated in FIG. 76 and the fullchannel map 8000 illustrated in FIG. 80.

The controller 340 detects a fifth user action for requesting a recentlyviewed channel map (S2350). In some embodiments, the fifth user actionmay be a user action of pressing a hot key for the recently viewedchannel map or a menu item for the recently viewed channel map.

The controller 340 controls displaying the recently viewed channel mapincluding broadcast channels, human channels and App channels displayedwithin a preset period in response to the detected fifth user action(S2355). The recently viewed channel map may be the recently viewedchannel map 7900 illustrated in FIG. 79. The preset period may be 1 day,7 days, 10 days, 15 days and 30 days. The preset period may be aninitially set value, or may be set by the user.

FIG. 83 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a user registration method inaccordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 83, the controller 340 controls display of a GUI forreception of user registration information (S2400). The GUI may bedisplayed upon initial execution (booting) of the electronic device 300or upon receiving a user request. The user registration information mayinclude at least one of a device serial number, a user name, a user ID,a password, connection information, gender information, the date of abirth, nation information or locale information. The connectioninformation may include at least one of an e-mail address, an SIPaddress, an IP address, a port number, a MAC address, an SNS account orURL.

FIG. 84 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI for receptionof user registration information.

Referring to FIG. 84, the display 302 may display a GUI 8400 in StepS2400. The GUI 8400 serves to receive user registration information. TheGUI 8400 includes input boxes to input a user ID, a password, a firstname and a last name, check boxes to select gender information and listboxes to select the date of a birth. A ‘Next’ button serves to display anext screen, an ‘Exit’ button serves to end the user registrationmethod. The controller 340 may control display of a screen of a nextstep in response to a detected user action pushing the ‘Next’ button,and may control end of the user registration method in response to adetected user action pushing the ‘Exit’ button.

The controller 340 controls display of a GUI for selection of an SNSsite (S2410). If the controller 340 detects a user action for pushingthe ‘Next’ button, the controller 340 may control display of the GUI inresponse to the detected user action. A list of SNS sites may bepreviously stored and the controller 340 may control display of thepreviously stored list on the GUI.

FIG. 85 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI for selectionof an SNS site.

Referring to FIG. 85, the display 302 may display a GUI 8500 in StepS2410. The GUI 8500 includes SNS sites 8511 to 8519, check boxes 8521 to8529 to select the SNS sites 8511 to 8519 respectively, and a check box8530 to select the SNS sites 8511 to 8519 in all. A list of the SNSsites 8511 to 8519 may be previously stored in the storage unit 345.Also, the list of the SNS sites 8511 to 8519 may be updated.

The controller 340 controls display of a GUI for reception of SNS siteauthentication information (S2420). If the controller 340 detects a useraction for pushing the ‘Next’ button, the controller 340 may controldisplay of the GUI in response to the detected user action. Theauthentication information may include a user ID and a password. Theuser ID may be an e-mail address registered in an SNS site.

The number of the GUI to be displayed may be equal to the number of SNSsites selected in Step S2410. That is, the GUI for reception ofauthentication information with respect to each selected SNS site may bedisplayed.

FIG. 86 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI for receptionof authentication information for an SNS site.

Referring to FIG. 86, the display 302 may display a GUI 8600 in StepS2420. The GUI 8600 includes an icon 8610, and input boxes to input ane-mail ID and a password for an SNS site indicated by the icon 8610.

The controller 340 controls display of a GUI for confirmation of channelscan execution (S2430). If the controller 340 detects a user action forpushing the ‘Next’ button, the controller 340 may control display of theGUI in response to the detected user action.

FIG. 87 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI forconfirmation of channel scan execution.

Referring to FIG. 87, the display 302 may display a GUI 8700 in StepS2430. The GUI 8700 includes a guidance phrase 8710 to ask whether ornot to execute a channel scan, a ‘Yes’ button to select execution of achannel scan, and an ‘Exit’ button to prevent execution of the channelscan. The controller 340 may control the progress of a method forproviding a channel scan interface of FIG. 88 in response to a detecteduser action selecting the ‘Yes’ button.

The user registration information and the SNS site authenticationinformation, which are input during implementation of the userregistration method of FIG. 83, may be transmitted to the server 10 ineach input step and may be transmitted to the server 10 after completionof Step S2430.

FIG. 88 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for providing a channelscan interface in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 88, the controller 340 controls display of a GUI forselection of a scan method (S2500). The GUI may be displayedautomatically or by a user request after implementation of a serverregistration method. Alternatively, the GUI may be displayed at anoptional time by a user request, or may be displayed during update. Thescan method may include at least one of auto scan or manual scan. TheGUI may include a scan method option to select at least one scan method.

FIG. 89 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI for selectionof a scan method.

Referring to FIG. 89, the display 302 may display a GUI 8900 in StepS2500. The GUI 8900 includes a scan method option 8910 to select autoscan and a scan method option 8920 to select manual scan.

The controller 340 confirms whether or not the scan method option isselected (S2510).

If the scan method option indicating auto scan is selected, thecontroller 340 controls display of a GUI for selection of a service type(S2520). The GUI may include a service type option to select at leastone service type. The service type indicates one of a broadcast channel,an App channel or a human channel.

FIG. 90 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI for selectionof a service type.

Referring to FIG. 90, the display 302 may display a GUI 9000 in StepS2520. The GUI 9000 may include a service type option 9010 (TV) toselect a channel scan of a broadcast channel, a service type option 9020(APPS) to select a channel scan of an App channel, and a service typeoption 9030 (Human) to select a channel scan of a human channel.

The controller 340 confirms whether or not a particular service typeoption among the service type options provided by the GUI 9000 forselection of a service type option is selected (S2530).

If the particular service type option is selected, the controller 340controls execution of a channel scan with respect to a channelassociated with the selected service type option (S2540). In oneexample, if the service type option 9010 is selected, the controller 340controls execution of a channel scan with respect to a broadcastchannel. If the service type option 9030 is selected, the controller 340controls execution of a channel scan with respect to a human channel.

FIG. 91 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen, whichdisplays the progress of a human channel scan.

Referring to FIG. 91, the display 302 may display a screen 9100 in StepS2540. The screen 9100 displays a status bar 9110 representing thedegree of progress of the human channel scan. The screen 9100 displays alist 9120 of SNS sites as an object of the human channel scan. The SNSsites included in the SNS site list 9120 may be SNS sites selectedduring implementation of the user registration method of FIG. 83. Thescreen 9100 may further display a region 9130 to display the result ofscan up to now. In the screen 9100, a ‘Skip’ button serves to stop achannel scan and select display of the result of scan up to that time,and an ‘Exit’ button serves to select end of a channel scan. Thecontroller 340 may stop channel scan in response to a detected useraction selecting the ‘Skip’ button and then, proceed to Step 2550. Also,the controller 340 controls end of a channel scan in response to adetected user action selecting the ‘Exit’ button.

The controller 340 controls display of the result of a channel scan(S2550). The controller 340 may control display of the result of achannel scan if channel scan is completed.

If the controller 340 detects a user action for selecting the ‘Skip’button of the screen 9100, the controller 340 may control display of theresult of a channel scan in response to the detected user action. Thedisplayed result of a channel scan is the result of channel scan up to atime when the channel scan is stopped. In one embodiment, the ‘Skip’button may be configured to skip current SNS service provider to scanthe next SNS service provider, rather than skipping all remaining SNSservice providers.

FIG. 92 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen, whichdisplays the result of a human channel scan.

Referring to FIG. 92, the display 302 may display a screen 9200 in StepS2550. The screen 9200 displays the result of a human channel scan.

The screen 9200 displays an SNS account selecting region 9210, an updatestatistical information region 9220, a channel input box 9230, an SNSsite selecting region 9250, an icon 9201 to display a selected SNS site,an ‘Add’ button, a ‘Back’ button and a ‘Home’ button. The SNS accountselecting region 9210 includes a picture 9211 of a selected SNS account,a button 9213 to select a previous SNS account, a button 9215 to selecta next SNS account, and a mark 9217 to display the total number of SNSaccounts scanned in a selected SNS site and the order of a selected SNSaccount.

The update statistical information region 9220 displays updatestatistical information about the selected SNS account 9211. The updatestatistical information may include at least one of the number ofupdated videos, the number of updated pictures or the number of updatedmessages.

The channel input box 9230 displays a channel number assigned to theselected SNS account 9211. If a channel number is not assigned to theselected SNS account 9211, the channel input box 9230 may be a blank.The user may input a channel number to be assigned to the selected SNSaccount 9211 into the channel input box 9230. In one embodiment, aselection of channel input box 9230 may display a pop-up window todisplay available channel number from which to choose from to assign tothe SNS account.

The SNS site selecting region 9250 displays icons of SNS sites or SNSproviders. If the user selects any one of the icons displayed on the SNSsite selecting region 9250, the controller 340 controls selection of SNSaccounts, scanned in the SNS site indicated by the selected icon, fromthe SNS account selecting region 9210.

The icon 9201 displays a selected SNS site. The user may select an SNSaccount, scanned in the SNS site indicated by the icon 9201, from theSNS account selecting region 9210.

The ‘Add’ button serves to receive a request for construction of achannel map, the ‘Back’ button serves to receive a request for displayof a previous screen, and the ‘Home’ button serves to receive a requestfor display of a home page.

FIG. 93 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a screen whichdisplays the result of a human channel scan.

Referring to FIG. 93, the display 302 may display a screen 9300 in StepS2550. The screen 9300 is a screen to display the result of a humanchannel scan. The screen 9300 may include a friend list (or contactlist) region 9310, a mutual friend list region 9320, a scan resultstatistical information region 9330 and an SNS site selecting region9350.

The SNS site selecting region 9350 is a region corresponding to the SNSsite selecting region 9250 of FIG. 92 and thus, a detailed descriptionthereof is substituted by the description of FIG. 92. The friend listregion 9310 displays a list of friends registered in an SNS siteselected from the SNS site selecting region 9350. The user can select aparticular friend (or contact) from the friend list region 9310. Forexample, a pointer 9360 may be used to select an icon 9317 for Iva's SNSaccount. The friend list region 9310 may display SNS accounts of thefriends.

Connection state marks 9311 and 9315 serve to display whether or not acorresponding friend is connected. More particularly, the connectionstate mark 9311 may represent an online state displayed by one of theconnection state marks 8111, 8121, 8131 and 8141 of FIG. 81, and theconnection state mark 9315 may represent an online state displayed byone of the connection state marks 8115, 8125, 8135 and 8145 of FIG. 81.

The mutual friend list region 9320 displays a list of mutual friends ofthe friend selected from the friend list region 9310. The mutual friendlist region 9320 may display SNS accounts of the mutual friends. Forexample, if icon 9317 for Iva's SNS account is selected, mutual friendsof both Iva and John may be displayed in the mutal friend list region9320.

In one embodiment, region 9320 may display a list of SNS accounts forfriends of the friends for whom the information is requested. Forexample, referring to FIG. 93, if icon 9317 is selected for Iva's SNSaccount (e.g., Hi5 account) region 9320 may display a list of potentialor possible friends between John and Iva's friends, e.g., a list offriends of friends. The icons for these friends may also includeconnection state marks 9311, 9315 to indicate whether the users areonline using their electronic device or logged in to their SNS accountat a server. In one embodiment, the list of mutual friends and the listof friends of friends may list only those users who have registered touse their electronic device to access human channels, e.g., their SNSaccounts through a channel on their multi-purpose display device, or thelist may include only those users who are currently logged in. Thesepreference settings for the user may store the configuration and othersettings for the display regions.

The information region 9330 displays a message 9331 for representingwhether or not a human channel of the friend selected from the friendlist region 9310 is available, a message 9333 for representing a humanchannel number assigned to the selected friend, and a message 9335 forrepresenting the number of mutual friends of the selected friend. Forexample, if the icon 9317 for Iva's SNS account is selected, the scanresult statistical information region 9330 may display informationrelated to Iva's account. In this Example, Iva has 12 friends in commonwith John's SNS account and Iva's SNS account is accessible on channelnumber 27 of the electronic device 100.

The user may select a particular SNS account from among SNS accountsdisplayed on the friend list region 9310 and the mutual friend listregion 9320 and then, assign a channel number to the selected particularSNS account.

The controller 340 constructs a channel map (S2560). The controller 340may proceed to Step S2560 if the controller 340 detects a user actionfor requesting assignment of a channel with respect to the particularSNS account from a screen on which the result of a channel scan isdisplayed. The user action may be a user action for selecting the ‘Add’button of FIG. 92.

If the controller 340 detects the user action for selecting the ‘Add’button of FIG. 92, the controller 340 assigns a channel number, whichhas input into the channel input box 9230, to the selected SNS account9211 in response to the detected user action. The controller 340 maystore the selected SNS account 9211, the channel number input into thechannel input box 9230 and information associating the selected SNSaccount 9211 and the channel number input into the channel input box9230 with each other. The human channel map may be a human channel mapillustrated in FIG. 12, or may be a human channel map illustrated inFIG. 97 that will be described hereinafter.

Step S2560 may include the implementation procedure of the method forconstructing a human channel map in relation to FIG. 13 or theimplementation procedure of the method for constructing a human channelmap in relation to FIGS. 34A and 34B. The screen 9200 of FIG. 92 and thescreen 9300 of FIG. 93 may be a first GUI for designation of the humanaddress in Step S100. The SNS accounts displayed on the SNS accountselecting region 9210, the friend list region 9320 and the mutual friendlist region 9330 may be selectable human addresses listed in the firstGUI.

FIG. 94 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for scanning a humanchannel in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 94, an electronic device 9410 transmits a friendinformation request signal to request information about friends to arelay server 9420 (S2600). The information about friends may include,for example, a list of new or potential friends, mutual friends, orupdates for existing friends such as status updates, newly uploadedcontent, whether they are using human channel services, or anotherappropriate type of information. The transmission of the friendinformation request signal may be performed in Step S2540 of FIG. 88 toscan one or more SNS servers for friend information. Step S2540 mayinclude the implementation procedure of the method for scanning a humanchannel in relation to FIG. 94. The friend information request signalmay include a user ID. The user ID may be an account of the relay server9420, or may be information registered in the server 10 duringimplementation of the user registration method of FIG. 83. In someembodiments, the friend information request signal may further include asingle or a plurality of SNS accounts, passwords with respect to theincluded SNS accounts and site names of the SNS sites.

The relay server 9420 transmits the friend information request signal torequest friend information to a first SNS server 9430 (S2610). Theserver 9420 may be the server 10, and the transmitted friend informationrequest signal may include an account information for an account on thefirst SNS server 9430 and may further include a password for theaccount. The account information on the first SNS server 9430 and thepassword for the account may be previously stored in the relay server9420, may have been transmitted to the server 10 during implementationof the user registration method of FIG. 83, or may be included in thefriend information request signal transmitted in Step S2600.

The relay server 9420 may associate a single or a plurality of SNSaccounts with user IDs and store the associated information. If therelay server 9420 receives the friend information request signal fromthe electronic device 9410, the relay server 9240 may search for a userID and an associated SNS account, and then, transmit the friendinformation request signal to an SNS server including the searched SNSaccount.

For example, the relay server 9420 may request information from multipleSNS servers if the request for friend information from the electronicdevice 9410 (or the user account associated with the user ID receivedfrom the electronic device 9410) includes SNS accounts served onmultiple servers (e.g., facebook, twitter). the relay server 9420transmits the friend information request signal to request friendinformation to the second SNS server 9440 (S2620). The transmittedfriend information request signal may include account information for anaccount on the second SNS server 9440 and may further include a passwordfor this account. The account information for the account on the secondSNS server 9440 may be stored in the relay server 9420, received fromanother server, or included in the friend information request.

The first SNS server 9430 transmits a friend information signalincluding friend information to the relay server 9420 (S2630). Thefriend information may include SNS accounts with respect to friendsincluded in the friend information request signal transmitted in StepS2610. The friend information may further include at least one of namesof the friends, SNS site IP addresses, port numbers, SNS site names orupdate information about SNS accounts. The first SNS server 9430 may bethe server 20, or may be one of SNS servers selected duringimplementation of the user registration method of FIG. 83. Additionally,the first SNS server 9430 may have an SNS site name included in thefriend information request signal transmitted in Step S2600.

The second SNS server 9440 transmits a friend information signalincluding friend information to the relay server 9420 (S2640). Thefriend information may include SNS accounts with respect to friendsincluded in the friend information request signal transmitted in StepS2620. The friend information may further include at least one of namesof the friends, SNS site IP addresses, port numbers, SNS site names orupdate information about SNS accounts. The second SNS server 9440 may bethe server 20, or may be one of SNS servers selected duringimplementation of the user registration method of FIG. 83. Additionally,the second SNS server 9440 may have an SNS site name included in thefriend information request signal transmitted in Step S2600.

The relay server 9420 combines the received friend information (S2650).The relay server 9420 may combine the friend information transmittedfrom the first SNS server 9430 with the friend information transmittedfrom the second SNS server 9440. In addition, the relay server 9420 maycombine previously stored information with the friend informationtransmitted from the first SNS server 9430 or the friend informationtransmitted from the second SNS server 9440. Here, the previously storedinformation may be the SNS site authentication information and the userregistration information transmitted by the electronic device 300 duringthe user registration method of FIG. 83. The relay server 9420 maycombine the previously stored information and the received friendinformation with each other based on names or SNS accounts.

The relay server 9420 transmits the friend information signal includingthe friend information to the electronic device 9410 (S2660). The friendinformation may be information combined in Step 2650, or may beinformation selected from the combined information. In some embodiments,the friend information may include at least one of names of friends, SNSsite names, SNS accounts or user IDs. In some embodiments, the friendinformation may include names of friends, connection information anduser IDs. In some embodiments, the friend information may include namesof friends, connection information, SNS site names, SNS accounts anduser IDs.

The electronic device 9410 stores the received friend information(S2670). The electronic device 9410 may temporarily or permanently storethe received friend information. The stored information may be displayedas the result of a channel scan in Step S2550 of FIG. 88.

The electronic device 9410 may construct a human channel map using thereceived friend information. Information included in the connectioninformation maps 1230, 1240, 1250, 1260 and 1270 of FIG. 97 may beacquired from the received friend information.

In some embodiments, the relay server 9420 may perform Step S2650 andStep 2660 whenever the friend information is received. For example, therelay server 9420 may perform Step S2640 and Step S2660 using the friendinformation received in Step S2630, or may perform Step S2640 and StepS2660 using the friend information received in Step S2640. Steps S2640and S2660 may be initiated based on friend information received within apredetermined period of time of each other, for example.

FIG. 95 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for constructing achannel map in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 95, the display 302 displays a GUI for designation ofa human address (S2700). The GUI may be one of a Web page of FIG. 4, theGUI 910 of FIG. 9, the GUI 1010 of FIG. 10, the GUI 1110 of FIG. 11, theGUI 2700 of FIG. 27, the GUI 2900 of FIG. 29, the GUI 3100 of FIG. 31,the screen 9200 of FIG. 92 and the screen 9300 of FIG. 93.

The controller 340 detects a first user action for designation of ahuman address (S2710) of a friend or contact.

The controller 340 confirms whether or not a channel number assigned tothe friend who is associated with the designated human address ispresent, in response to the detected first user action (S2720).

If the channel number is present, the controller 340 displays thechannel number (S2730). In one example, the channel number may bedisplayed on the input box 9230 of FIG. 92, may be displayed on theinput box 9333 of FIG. 93, or may be displayed on a separately displayedmessage. The channel number may be highlighted among the channel numberslisted in the channel number region 2710 of the GUI 2700 of FIG. 27 oramong the channel numbers listed in the channel number region 2910 ofthe GUI 2900 of FIG. 29, or may be displayed on the channel numberregion 3140 of the GUI 3100 of FIG. 31.

The controller 340 detects a second user action for designation of achannel number (S2740). In the embodiment of the screen 9200 of FIG. 92,the second user action may be a user action for pushing the ‘Add’button. In the embodiment of the screen 9300 of FIG. 93, the second useraction may be a user action for pushing a button for completing input ofa channel number into the input box 9333 (for example, an ‘OK’ button ona remote controller). In the embodiments of the GUI 2700 of FIG. 27, theGUI 2900 of FIG. 29 and the GUI 3100 of FIG. 31, the second user actionmay be a user action including the second user action of Step S802 ofFIGS. 34A and 34B and the third user action of Step S803. The channelnumber may be equal to the channel number searched in Step S2720.

The controller 340 stores the human address, the channel number andinformation associating the human address and the channel number witheach other in a human channel map in response to the detected seconduser action (S2750). If the channel number is equal to the channelnumber searched in Step S2720, a plurality of human addresses of asingle person is assigned to a single channel number.

The controller 340 confirms whether or not other human addresses of thefriend who is associated with the designated human address are present(S2760). For example, the friend may have multiple SNS accounts such asa human address corresponding to a facebook account and another humanaddress corresponding to an MSN account.

If other human addresses are present, the controller 340 controlsdisplay of the other human addresses (S2770).

FIG. 96 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI for display ofother human addresses of a friend who has a human address associatedwith a channel number.

Referring to FIG. 96, the display 302 may display a message 9600 in StepS2770. The message 9600 lists SNS accounts of the other human addresses.In this example, it may be assumed that the human address designated inStep S2710 is a human address of Lisa. The message 9600 may list SNSaccounts 9601, 9603, 9605 and 9607 as the other human addresses of Lisa,and may include a button 9610 to add additional addresses and a button9620 to cancel the process. In Step S2770, check boxes 9631, 9633, 9635and 9637 need not be displayed.

The controller 340 displays a GUI for designation of a human address(S2780). The GUI may be displayed if the controller 340 detects a useraction for pushing the button 9610 of FIG. 96. The display 302 maydisplay the message 9600 including the SNS accounts 9601, 9603, 9605 and9607, the check boxes 9631, 9633, 9635 and 9637, the button 9610 and thebutton 9620.

In some embodiments, Step S2770 and Step S2780 may be combined into asingle step for displaying a GUI for provision of other human addressesand designation of a particular human address among the other humanaddresses. The GUI may be the message 9600 including the SNS accounts9601, 9603, 9605 and 9607, the check boxes 9631, 9633, 9635 and 9637,the button 9610 and the button 9620.

The controller 340 detects a third user action for designation of ahuman address (S2790). The third user action may be a user action forpushing the button 9610 of the message 9600 displayed in Step S2780.

The controller 340 stores the human address, the channel number andinformation associating the human address and the channel number witheach other in the human channel map in response to the detected thirduser action (S2795). The human address may be a human address checked inthe check boxes 9631, 9633, 9635 and 9637, and the channel number may bethe channel number stored in Step S2750.

FIG. 97 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary embodiment for ahuman channel map.

The human channel map 1210 of FIG. 97 further includes a channel number‘80’ associated with a plurality of human addresses. The channel number‘80’ is associated with the friend ‘Lisa’, and the friend ‘Lisa’ has aplurality of human addresses (Lisa@TV.com, Lisa@SNS.com andLisa@facebook.com). That is, the channel number ‘80’ is assigned to eachof Lisa@TV.com, Lisa@SNS.com and Lisa@facebook.com.

If a pointer indicates a particular table, the controller 340 canconfirm that a corresponding channel number is associated with aplurality of human addresses. In one example, if a pointer 9701 of thechannel number ‘80’ indicates a table 9700, the controller 340 confirmsthat the channel number ‘80’ is associated with a plurality of humanaddresses.

The table 9700 includes the human addresses, i.e. Lisa@TV.com,Lisa@SNS.com and Lisa@facebook.com, associated with the channel number‘80’, and pointers respectively corresponding to Lisa@TV.com,Lisa@SNS.com and Lisa@facebook.com. The pointers may indicate positionswhere information associated with the human addresses is stored.

The pointer 9711 indicates a position where information associated withLisa@TV.com is stored. More particularly, the pointer 9711 indicates thethird row of the third connection information map 1250. An IP addressassociated with Lisa@TV.com is 207.63.107.105, and a port number and anaccount associated with Lisa@TV.com are 80 and Lisa, respectively.Connection to a channel of Lisa@TV.com may be implemented by the accessmethod denoted by type 3.

The pointer 9712 indicates a position where information associated withLisa@facebook.com is stored. More particularly, the pointer 9712indicates the fourth row of the third connection information map 1250.An IP address associated with Lisa@facebook.com is 204.62.101.95, and aport number and an account associated with Lisa@facebook.com are 80 andLisa, respectively. Connection to a channel of Lisa@facebook.com may beimplemented by the method denoted by type 3.

The pointer 9713 indicates a position where information associated withLisa@SNS.com is stored. More particularly, the pointer 9713 indicatesthe fifth row of the third connection information map 1250. An IPaddress associated with Lisa@SNS.com is 205.52.108.96, and a port numberand an account associated with Lisa@SNS.com are 80 and Lisa,respectively. Connection to a channel of Lisa@SNS.com may be implementedby the access method denoted by type 3.

In the present disclosure, the pointers 9711, 9712 and 9713 are notlimited to the embodiments indicating the rows of the third connectioninformation map 1250, and may indicate rows of different connectioninformation maps. In one embodiment, channel 80 may be linked to humanaddresses for a plurality of different individuals. For example, thehuman address ‘Lisa’ may be replaced by human address ‘family’representing a group of individuals. The human addresses in table 9700may be linked to an SNS account of each of the individual in the group,e.g., human addresses dad and me, in tables 1240 and 1230, respectively.

FIG. 98 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation procedure ofanother exemplary embodiment in relation to a method for providing ahuman channel service in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 98, the controller 340 detects a user action forrequesting conversion to a human channel mode (S2800) (or social networkchannel mode). In some embodiments, the user action may be a user actionfor pushing one of an up key, a down key, a right key or a left key of aremote controller, or may be a user action for pushing a mode conversionkey (for example, a colored button) of the remote controller.

The controller 340 controls display of a human channel map in responseto the detected user action (S2810). The display 302 may display thehuman channel map 7220 illustrated in FIG. 72.

The controller 340 detects a user action for designation of a channelnumber (S2820).

The controller 340 confirms whether or not a plurality of humanaddresses is associated with the channel number in response to thedetected user action (S2830). The controller 340 can confirm whether ornot the plurality of human addresses is associated with the channelnumber by use of the human channel map. In one example, if a channelnumber ‘77’ is designated in Step S2820, it can be confirmed from thehuman channel map of FIG. 97 that the channel number ‘77’ is associatedwith a single human address. If a channel number ‘80’ is designated inStep S2820, it can be confirmed from the human channel map of FIG. 97that the channel number ‘80’ is associated with the plurality of humanaddresses (i.e. Lisa@TV.com, Lisa@SNS.com and Lisa@facebook.com).

If the plurality of human addresses is present, the controller 340controls display of a GUI for designation of a human address (S2840).

FIG. 99 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GUI for designationof a human address.

Referring to FIG. 99, the display 302 may display a GUI 9900 as the GUIfor designation of the human address if the user action for designatingthe channel number ‘80’ is detected in Step S2820. The GUI 9900 liststhe human addresses Lisa@TV.com, Lisa@SNS.com and Lisa@facebook.comassociated with the channel number ‘80’.

The controller 340 detects a user action for designation of a humanaddress (S2850). In one example, the user action may be a user actionfor pushing a particular key (for example, an ‘OK’ key) on a remotecontroller in a state in which an indicator 9901 of FIG. 99 is locatedat a particular human address. The user action designates a humanaddress where the indicator 9901 is located.

The controller 340 performs connection to the human address (S2860). Ifa plurality of human addresses is not associated with the channel numberdesignated in Step S2820, the controller 340 performs connection to thehuman address associated with the channel number designated in StepS2820. Also, if a plurality of human addresses is associated with thechannel number designated in Step S2820, the controller 340 performsconnection to the human address designated in Step S2850.

The controller 340 may display at least one of a Web page associatedwith the SNS account of the SNS server, a screen captured by theelectronic device, a broadcast channel that the user of the electronicdevice is viewing, content or content list stored in the electronicdevice, based on the result of connection. The Web page associated withthe SNS account of the SNS server may be a home page.

Step S2860 may include at least one step included in the implementationprocedure of the method for receiving content of a human channel inrelation to FIGS. 19 to 21, and may include at least one step includedin the implementation procedure of the method for setting connectionbetween electronic devices of FIG. 26.

FIG. 100 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a screen onwhich a human channel map and content of a selected human channel aredisplayed.

Referring to FIG. 100, the controller 340 may control display of ascreen 10000 based on the result of connection of Step S2860. The screen10000 is a screen on which a Web page received from the SNS server isdisplayed.

The screen 10000 may include a list region 10010, a user informationregion 10020, a statistical information region 10030, a friend listregion 10040, a video link 10051, a picture link 10053 and a messagelink 10054. The list region 10010 displays a user question and answersof friends with respect to the question, the user information region10020 displays brief introduction information with respect to the user,and the statistical information region 10030 displays statisticalinformation. The friend list region 10040 displays a number of followers(other users who are registered to receive information about the user)and following (other users whom the user is registered to receiveinformation about), the video link 10051 is a connection link for a Webpage on which unloaded video files can be seen, the picture link 10053is a connection link for a Web page on which uploaded pictures can beseen, and the message link 10054 is a connection link for a Web page onwhich messages between the user and the friend(s) can be seen.

FIG. 101 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on which anElectronic Program Guide (EPG) for a human channel in accordance withthe present disclosure is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 101, the controller 304 may control display of anelectronic program guide 10100 for a human channel. The electronicprogram guide 10100 may be displayed if a user action for requesting theEPG is detected during display of the human channel. If the user actionfor requesting the EPG is detected during display of a broadcastchannel, the controller 340 may control display of an EPG for thebroadcast channel.

The remote controller 304 may include a button for requesting theelectronic program guide 10100 for the human channel. If the controller340 detects a user action for pushing the button, the controller 340 maycontrol display of the electronic program guide 10100 in response to thedetected user action. In one embodiment, the button for requesting theEPG 10100 for the human channel may be a dedicated button. In this case,the EPG for the human channel may be displayed regardless of the type ofcontent that is being displayed, e.g., broadcast, application, or humanchannel content. Alternatively, the button may be configured to displaya particular type of EPG corresponding to the type of content beingdisplayed, e.g., human channel type EPG.

The EPG 10100 may be configured as a grid or calendar. The EPG 10100 mayinclude a human indicating cell 10111 at the first row of the firstcolumn and a human channel indicating cell 10112 at the first row of thesecond column, and the other columns of the first row may include datecells 10113 to 10118. The human indicating cell 10111 displaysinformation indicating that human cells are listed in the first column,the human channel indicating cell 10112 displays information indicatingthat channel cells are listed in the second column, and the date cells10113 to 10118 display dates.

In some embodiments, if there is no event associated with a particulardate, a date cell displaying the particular date need not be displayed.In addition, date cells may be orderly displayed from the date cell10113 representing a present date to the date cell 10114 representing afuture date.

The electronic program guide 10100 includes human cells 10121, 10131 and10141 in the other rows of the first column, channel cells 10122, 10132and 10142 in the other rows of the second column and event cells 10123and 10134 in the other rows of the other columns. The human cells 10121,10131 and 10141 display information associated with owners of therespective human channels. Here, the human cells may display pictures ofthe owners of the human channels. The channel cells 10122, 10132 and10142 display human channel numbers respectively (e.g., channel numbers101, 110, and 116). The channel cells 10122, 10132 and 10142 may furtherdisplay human addresses of the owners of the human channels (e.g., Mike,Miranda, and Sweety). In some embodiments, the human cells 10121, 10131and 10141 need not be displayed.

The event cells are associated, according to positions thereof, withparticular human cells, particular channel cells and particular datecells. More particularly, each event cell is associated with a humancell and a channel cell of the same row and is also associated with adate cell of the same column. The event cell is associated with anevent, which is associated with a date displayed by the date cell of thesame column, from among events associated with the human channel havingthe channel number displayed by the channel cell of the same row.

The event cell may display at least a part of event information, i.e.information about an associated event. The event information may includean SNS account associated with an event, information about an SNS siteto which the event has been uploaded, information about the type of theevent, the title of the event, the date of the event and detailedinformation about the event. The event may include at least one of aschedule, a function, a memorial day or holiday, content, or the like.The content may be a multimedia content such as a picture or video, orthe content may be a message or note, for example.

The event cells may display at least one of event titles 10151, 10152and 10153, event icons 10161 and 10162 or event source marks 10171,10172 and 10173. The event cells may further display a reminder mark10191 (or indicia). The reminder mark 10191 may be displayed in the casewhere a reminder for an event is set up. If the reminder is set up, analarm for the event may be displayed as a message, for example, on themulti-functional display device or may be transmitted to a mobileappliance, an email address, or the like. The reminder may be set upaccording to a user request.

If one event cell is associated with a plurality of events, eventinformation about the plurality of events may be displayed respectively.For example, an event cell 10134 displays a plurality of events 10172and 10173.

FIG. 102 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen in whichdetailed information of an event is displayed on an electronic programguide in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 102, the controller 340 may detect a user action forselecting a date cell of the electronic program guide 10200, forexample, using a cursor or an arrow as illustrated. The controller 340may control display of detailed information 10210 of an event associatedwith the date cell in response to the detected user action. In oneexample, if the controller 340 detects a user action for selecting adate cell 10243, the controller 340 controls display of the detailedinformation 10210 about a “Match” event associated with the date cell10243 in response to the detected user action.

FIG. 103 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen in whichchannel numbers are selected on an electronic program guide inaccordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 103, the controller 340 may detect a user action forselecting a human cell of the electronic program guide 10300. Thecontroller 340 may control display of content of a human channel of aperson indicated by the human cell in response to the detected useraction. In one example, if the controller 340 detects a user action forselecting a human cell 10341, the controller 340 controls display ofcontent of a human channel of a person ‘Sweety’ indicated by the humancell 10341 in response to the detected user action.

FIG. 104 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on whichcontent of a human channel is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 104, if the controller 340 detects a user action forselecting the human cell 10341, the controller 340 may control displayof content 10400 of a human channel of an owner ‘Sweety’ indicated bythe human cell 10341 in response to the detected user action. The screen10400 may further display a picture 10410 of the owner ‘Sweety’, a humanaddress 10420 of the owner ‘Sweety’ and a channel number 10430 of thehuman channel of the owner ‘Sweety’.

If the content 10400 is a video file, the controller 340 may furtherdisplay a time guidance graph 10450 which represents a displayed time ofthe entire playing time of the video file. In the time guidance graph10450, a region 10451 means a displayed amount, a region 10453 means anamount to be displayed, and a divider 10455 represents a position of animage being displayed.

FIGS. 105 to 107 are diagrams illustrating an embodiment in which anelectronic program guide in accordance with the present disclosure isdragged.

Referring to FIGS. 105 to 107, in a state in which a pointer 10501 islocated at the third row of the electronic program guide 10500, if thecontroller 340 detects a down event and subsequently, detects at leastone drag event, the controller 340 moves the pointer 10501 to a position10601 in response to the detected down event and the detected dragevent. Then, the controller 340 controls display of a part of a datecell 10610 indicating a date after a certain time corresponding to amovement distance of the pointer 10501 has elapsed and at least a partof an event cell 10620 associated with an event of the date. The downevent may be a user action for selecting a channel cell 10513, or may bea user action for selecting one of event cells 10523, 10533 and 10543.

If the controller 340 detects an up event after detection of the atleast one drag event, the controller 340 controls display of anelectronic program guide 10700 including an added column 10710. Theadded column 10710 includes a date cell 10713 representing a particulardate after the certain time has elapsed and event cells 10723, 10724 and10743 associated with the event of the particular date. The event cell10723 displays content 10751 and 10752 uploaded at the correspondingdate. The number of columns that are added (and the corresponding dateswhich are displayed) may correspond to an amount in which the cell isdragged in a prescribed direction. Additionally, the direction in whicha cell is dragged may determine whether previous or later dates areadded to the EPG. For example, dragging a cell to the right in the EPGmay display columns for later dates.

In one embodiment, a date range for the dates included in the EPG may beentered to display events corresponding to the entered date range. Ascroll bar may be provided to scroll the EPG to the desired date range.Moreover, a scroll bar may also be provided to scroll the EPG verticallyto display additional channels assigned to different users and theirrespective SNS accounts. In one embodiment, each channel as well as aparticular date (e.g., each row or column of the EPG) may be hiddenbased on a manual designation or based on user preferences or filters(e.g., friend lists). For example, the entire row for channel number 110corresponding to Miranda may be hidden in the EPG.

FIG. 108 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen in which acontent list is displayed on an electronic program guide in accordancewith the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 108, the controller 340 may detect a user action forselecting an event cell 10823 of an electronic program guide 10800. Thecontroller 340 may control display of a content list 10850 associatedwith the event cell 10823 in response to the detected user action. Thecontent list 10850 may be a list of events associated with the eventcell 10823, or may be a list of content uploaded to the server on a dateassociated with the event cell 10823. The server may be the server 10 orthe server 20, and the content may be content uploaded to the serverbelonging to an account associated with a human channel having a channelnumber ‘101’. The account may be an SNS account.

FIG. 109 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on which apreview of content selected from among the content list of FIG. 108 isdisplayed.

Referring to FIG. 109, the controller 340 may detect a user action forselecting a particular item from among items 10911, 10913 and 10915included in a content list 10910 displayed on the electronic programguide 10900. The controller 340 may control display of a preview 10950of content indicated by the selected particular item. The preview may beprepared independently of the content, may be a part of the content, ormay be the entire content.

In one example, if the controller 340 detects a user action forselecting an item 10914, the controller 340 controls display of apreview of content indicated by the item 10914 in the region 10950 inresponse to the detected user action. If the controller 340 detects auser action for selecting the region 10950 where the preview will bedisplayed, the controller 340 may control display of the contentindicated by the item 10914 over the entire screen. In this case, thecontent may overlap over the electronic program guide 10900, or theelectronic program guide 10900 may temporarily disappear from the screenduring display of the content. In one embodiment, if the controller 340detects a prescribed type of selection on an item 10911, 10913, 10914(e.g., a double click or selection of a prescribed button on the remotecontroller), the content may be immediately displayed without displayinga preview of the item in region 10950.

FIG. 110 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on which agraphical user interface to produce an event is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 110, the controller 340 may detect a user action forselecting a cell included in a row associated with a user human channelon an electronic program guide 11000. The controller 340 may controldisplay of a graphical user interface 11010 to produce an event inresponse to the detected user action. In one example, an event cell11024 is located on the same row as a channel cell 11022 indicating achannel number ‘0’, a human channel having the channel number ‘0’ meansa human channel of the owner of the electronic device 300, and thechannel cell 11022 further indicates a human address ‘Mike’ andtherefore, the owner of the electronic device 300 is Mike. If thecontroller 340 detects a user action for selecting the event cell 11024,the controller 340 controls display of the graphical user interface11010 in response to the user action.

The graphical user interface 11010 may include a first region 11011 usedto input the title (or subject) of an event, a second region 11013 usedto input the date of an event, and a third region 11015 used to inputdetailed information about an event.

FIG. 111 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a screen on which anevent input into the graphical user interface of FIG. 110 is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 111, a first region 11111 of the graphical userinterface 11010 receives the title of an event “Match”, a second region11113 receives the date of the event “Mar. 12, '11”, and a third region11115 receives detailed information about the event “I am going to watchthe India-Aus Match from 3:00 PM. You guys are invited to my place. Ihave . . . .”

FIGS. 112A and 112B are diagrams illustrating a screen on which anelectronic program guide in accordance with the present disclosure,which reflects the event input in FIG. 111, is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 112A, if the input of the event illustrated in FIG.111 is completed, the controller 340 controls display of at least a partof the event information input in FIG. 111 on an event cell 11224associated with the date “Mar. 12, '11” of the electronic program guide11200. The event cell 11224 is located on the row indicated by the humanchannel of the owner ‘Mike’ of the electronic device 300.

If the input of the event illustrated in FIG. 111 is completed, thecontroller 340 may control transmission of the event information inputin FIG. 111 to the server 10, the server 20 and other electronicdevices. The controller 340 may detect an SNS account associated withMike from the human channel map and then, control upload of the eventinformation to the detected SNS account. In addition, the controller 340may acquire an address of the electronic device transmitted to eachhuman channel of the human channel map and then, control transmission ofthe event information to the acquired address.

As shown in FIG. 112B, an electronic program guide 11201 is displayed onthe electronic device of Molly. The event information input in FIG. 111is displayed on an event cell 11234 associated with the date “Mar. 12,'11” at the row indicating the human channel of Mike. The electronicdevice of Molly may directly receive the event information from theelectronic device of Mike, or may indirectly receive the eventinformation through the server 10 or the server 20.

FIG. 113 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for providing serviceinformation in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 113, the controller 340 controls display of content ofa human channel. The display 302 may display the screen 1500 of FIG. 15,the screen 1600 of FIG. 16, the screen 1700 of FIG. 17, the screen 10000of FIG. 100 and the screen 10400 of FIG. 104.

The controller 340 detects a user action for requesting serviceinformation (S2910).

The controller 340 constructs service information in response to thedetected user action (S2920). The constructed service information may beevent information and information associated with the event informationand the human channel. The constructed service information may be storedin the storage unit 345.

In some embodiments, Step S2920 may include an implementation procedureof a method for constructing service information in relation to FIG.114.

The controller 340 controls display of the constructed serviceinformation (S2930). The display 302 may display the electronic programguide 10100 of FIG. 101. The constructed service information may bedisplayed in the form of the electronic program guide 10100.

In some embodiments, Step S2930 may include an implementation procedureof a method for displaying service information in relation to FIG. 115as described hereinafter.

The controller 340 controls production of an event and transmission ofthe produced event (S2940).

In some embodiments, step S2940 may include an implementation procedureof a method for producing an event in relation to FIG. 116 as describedhereinafter.

In some embodiments, Step S2920 may be performed before Step S2910, theservice information constructed in Step S2920 may be stored in thestorage unit 345, and Step S2930 may be performed after Step S2910. Inthis case, the stored service information may be displayed in StepS2930.

Step S2920 may be initially performed, may be performed when an event isadditionally produced or received, or may be executed at a predeterminedinterval. The service information stored in the storage unit 345 may beupdated upon execution of Step S2920.

FIG. 114 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for constructing serviceinformation in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 114, the controller 340 controls transmission of anevent information request signal to request event information (S3000).The controller 340 may request event information on a per human channelbasis or on a per SNS account basis, or may request event informationwith respect to a human channel included in a human channel map using asingle signal. The controller 340 may transmit the event informationrequest signal to at least one of the server 10, the server 20 or theelectronic device.

The network interface 320 receives an event signal including the eventinformation in response to the event information request signal (S3010).The event signal may be received from at least one of the server 110,the server 20 or the electronic device. The event information mayinclude information about at least one event. For example, the eventinformation may include the event 10152 and the event 10123 associatedwith the channel cell 10122 of Mike in FIG. 101 and the event 10153associated with the channel cell 10132 of Miranda.

The event information includes an SNS account associated with the event,and may further include at least one of information about the SNS siteto which the event has been uploaded, information about the type of theevent, the title of the event, the date of the event or detailedinformation about the event. The event may be an event uploaded to asite including the SNS account.

The controller 340 maps the event and the channel number to each other(S3020). By using a channel map including at least one channel numberand at least one SNS account assigned to the at least one channel numberand also, using an SNS account included in the received eventinformation, the controller 340 may map one of the at least one event orone or more events to one of the at least one channel number. Thechannel map, which includes at least one channel number and at least oneSNS account assigned to the at least one channel number, may be a humanchannel map, and the human channel map may be the human channel mapillustrated in FIG. 12 or the human channel map illustrated in FIG. 97.

The controller 340 maps the event to the channel number if the SNSaccount of the event is equal to the SNS account assigned to the channelnumber. In one example, the event 10123 and the event 10152 assignedwith the channel cell 10122 of Mike in FIG. 101 may be mapped to thechannel number ‘101’, and the event 10153 associated with the channelcell 10132 of Miranda may be mapped to a channel number ‘110’.

The controller 340 constructs a guide screen to display the channelnumbers and the events mapped to the channel numbers (S3030). Thecontroller 340 may align the channel numbers and the mapped events inthe order of dates of the events, or may align the events in the orderof the channel numbers mapped to the events. The controller 340 mayselect and process event information to be displayed on event cells. Theevent information to be displayed on the event cells may be the titlesof the events and may include at least one of icons indicating SNS sitesto which the events have been uploaded or event icons.

FIG. 115 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for displaying serviceinformation in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 115, the controller 340 controls display of enelectronic program guide (S3100). The display 302 may display theelectronic program guide 10100 of FIG. 101.

The controller 340 detects a user action for selecting en event cell(S3105).

The controller 340 displays detailed information about an eventassociated with the selected event cell in response to the detected useraction (S3110). The display 302 may display the detailed information10210 of FIG. 102.

The controller 340 detects a user action for selecting a human cell or achannel cell (S3115).

The controller 340 controls display of content of the human channelindicated by the channel number associated with the selected human cellor the selected channel cell in response to the detected user action(S3120). The display 302 may display the content 10400 of FIG. 104.

The controller 340 detects a user action for selecting a date cell or anevent cell (S3125). The user action for selecting the date cell or theevent cell may be a down event.

The controller 340 detects a user action for dragging the cell selectedin Step S3125 (S3130). The display 302 may display the electronicprogram guide 10600 of FIG. 106.

The controller 340 detects a user action for dropping the dragged cell(S3135). The user action for dropping the dragged cell may be an upevent.

The controller 340 displays the event cell and the date cell, associatedwith a particular date after a certain time has elapsed, on theelectronic program guide in response to the detected user action(S3140). The display 302 may display the electronic program guide 10700of FIG. 107.

The controller 340 detects a user action for selecting the event cellassociated with the particular date after a certain time has elapsed(S3145).

The controller 340 displays a list of content associated with theselected event cell in response to the detected user action (S3150). Thedisplay 302 may display the content list 10850 of FIG. 108.

The controller 340 detects a user action for selecting one of itemsincluded in the content list (S3155).

The controller 340 controls display of content associated with theselected item (S3160). The controller 340 may display a preview of thecontent. The content may be displayed over the entire screen, or may bedisplayed on a certain region on the electronic program guide. In oneexample, the content may be displayed on the region 10950 of FIG. 109.

FIG. 116 is a diagram illustrating an implementation procedure of anexemplary embodiment in relation to a method for producing an event inaccordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 116, the controller 340 detects a user action forselecting an event cell associated with a channel number indicating auser human channel (S3200). For example, the event cell associated witha channel number indicating a user human channel may be the event cell11024 of FIG. 110.

The controller 340 controls display of a graphical user interface toproduce an event in response to the detected user action (S3210). Thedisplay 302 may display the graphical user interface 11010 of FIG. 110.

The controller 340 maps the event indicated by the event informationinput via the graphical user interface to the channel number indicatingthe user human channel (S3220).

The controller 340 transmits the input event information and an SNSaccount assigned to the user human channel to the server (S3230). Theserver may be a server including the SNS account or may be the server10. If the input event information and the SNS account are transmittedto the server 10, the server 10 transmits the event information and theSNS account assigned to the user human channel to the SNS site includingthe SNS account.

The controller 340 displays at least a part of the input eventinformation on an event cell that is associated with the mapped channelnumber and a date included in the input event information (S3230). Thedisplay 302 may display the electronic program guide 11200 of FIGS. 112Aand 112B.

Configurations of the electronic device and operating methods thereof inaccordance with the present disclosure are not limited to the abovedescribed embodiments, and all or a part of the embodiments may beselectively combined to realize various modifications thereof.

The present disclosure may be implemented as code that can be written ona computer-readable recording medium and can thus be read by a computer.The computer-readable recording medium includes all types of recordingdevices in which data is stored in a computer-readable manner. Examplesof the computer-readable recording medium include a ROM, a RAM, aCD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disc, an optical data storage, and acarrier wave (e.g., data transmission through the Internet). Thecomputer-readable recording medium can be distributed over a pluralityof computer devices connected through a network so thatcomputer-readable code is written thereto and executed therefrom in adecentralized manner.

As is apparent from the above description, with an electronic device, amethod of providing a human channel service, a method of constructing ahuman channel map and a method of relaying a human channel in accordancewith the present disclosure, on-line networks between designatedindividuals can be accomplished using channel numbers. A user cancommunicate with a designated person by selecting a channel numberassigned to the designated person, which assures convenient and easyutilization of a social network service. Further, according to thepresent disclosure, by allowing the user to acquire an address of anelectronic device using a human address independent of an IP address aswell as the IP address, the user can utilize the electronic device for asocial network service even when the electronic device has a dynamic IPaddress or a private IP address. Furthermore, according to the presentdisclosure, the user can conveniently and easily access a social networkservice anytime and anywhere. Moreover, according to the presentdisclosure, by allowing a user to access an acquaintance connected to asocial network through a human channel, the user and the acquaintancecan easily view the same broadcast channel through human channelsthereof.

The present disclosure provides a chat screen for allowing the user toconfirm a friend who is viewing the same content as the user using ahuman channel map and to chat with the confirmed friend, whereby theuser can view a broadcast while chatting with the friend who is viewingthe same content.

Moreover, according to the present disclosure, as a result of providinga variety of kinds of channel maps and a user interface for assistingchannel map switch, the user can easily select a variety of kinds ofchannel maps. Further, allowing the user to select a variety of kinds ofchannels listed in a channel map can further facilitate easy userselection of a variety of kinds of channels.

The present disclosure provides a menu for the scan of an App serviceand an SNS service, similar to a broadcast channel scan menu, which canallow the user not only to easily operate a scan menu, but also toeasily set an App channel and a human channel based on the result ofscan.

In addition, the present disclosure provides event information aboutfriends in the form of an Electronic Program Guide (EPG), which canallow the user to easily acquire and manage information about friends,to easily produce a user event and to easily share the produced eventwith friends.

As embodied and broadly described herein, the present disclosure isdirected to an electronic device, a method of providing a human channelservice, a method of constructing a human channel map and a method ofrelaying a human channel, a method for inviting to view channel, amethod for remotely viewing content at the same time, a method forproviding channel map service, a method for providing a channel scaninterface and a method for providing service information thatsubstantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations anddisadvantages of the related art.

One object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronic device,a method of providing a human channel service, a method of constructinga human channel map and a method of relaying a human channel, whichenable a user to more conveniently and easily use a social networkservice.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronicdevice, a method of providing a human channel service, a method ofconstructing a human channel map and a method of relaying a humanchannel, which enable a user to use a social network service anywhereand anytime.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronicdevice, a method of providing a human channel service, a method ofconstructing a human channel map and a method of relaying a humanchannel, which enable a social network service between electronicdevices even when the electronic devices have dynamic Internet Protocol(IP) addresses.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronicdevice, a method of providing a human channel service, a method ofconstructing a human channel map and a method of relaying a humanchannel, which enable a social network service between electronicdevices even when the electronic devices have private IP addresses.

A further object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronicdevice and a method of making invitation to view a channel, which enablea user to invite an acquaintance connected to a social network to view abroadcast channel that the user is viewing.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronicdevice, which enables a user to view a broadcast while chatting with afriend who views the same content, and a method for remotely viewingcontent at the same time.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronicdevice and a method of providing a channel map service, which provide avariety of kinds of channel maps and enable a user to easily select avariety of kinds of channel maps.

A further object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronicdevice and a method of providing a channel map service, which provide avariety of kinds of channels and enable a user to easily select avariety of kinds of channels.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronicdevice, which can easily perform a channel scan with respect to variouskinds of services and can provide a menu to perform a channel scan withrespect to various kinds of services, similar to a conventionalbroadcast channel scan menu, and a method for providing a channel scaninterface.

A further object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronicdevice, which provides information about friends in a social network,and a method for providing service information.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, amethod of providing a human channel service may include detecting a useraction for designating a channel number, reading a human addressassociated with the designated channel number from a human channel mapin response to the detected user action, acquiring an address of anelectronic device to access based on the read human address, receivingcontent from the electronic device using the acquired address, anddisplaying the received content. The human address may include at leastone of an e-mail address, an account name, a family name (or surname), aSession Initiation Protocol-Uniform Resource Locator (SIP-URL), oranother appropriate type of identifier or address.

The address of the electronic device may include at least one of a MediaAccess Control (MAC) address, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a portnumber, a Domain Name System (DNS) name or a Uniform Resource Locator(URL).

The acquiring the address of the electronic device may include readingthe address of the electronic device based on the human address from astorage unit.

The acquiring the address of the electronic device may includetransmitting a connection request signal including the human address toa server, and receiving the address of the electronic device from theserver.

The human channel map may include a channel number, a human address andinformation associating the channel number and the human address witheach other.

In one embodiment, a method of constructing a human channel map mayinclude displaying a first Graphical User Interface (GUI) fordesignation of a human address, detecting a first user action fordesignating a human address, displaying a second GUI for designation ofa channel number in response to the detected first user action,detecting a second user action for designating a channel number, andstoring the channel number, the human address and informationassociating the channel number and the human address with each other inthe human channel map in response to the detected second user action.The displayed first GUI may list at least one selectable human address.The displayed second GUI may list a plurality of selectable channelnumbers.

In this embodiment, the human channel map constructing method mayfurther include receiving the at least one human address from a server.

The human channel map constructing may further include displaying a Webpage of a Social Network Service (SNS) server, the displayed Web pagelisting at least one human address, detecting a third user action forselecting one of the listed at least one human address, and displayingthe first GUI in response to the detected third user action.

In one embodiment, a method of relaying a human channel may includereceiving a first registration request signal, including a first humanaddress and an address of a first electronic device, from the firstelectronic device, storing the first human address and the address ofthe first electronic device in response to the received firstregistration request signal, receiving a second registration requestsignal, including a second human address and an address of a secondelectronic device, from the second electronic device, storing the secondhuman address and the address of the second electronic device inresponse to the received second registration request signal, receiving aconnection request signal including the second human address from thefirst electronic device, and transmitting a response signal includingthe address of the second electronic device to the first electronicdevice in response to the received connection request signal, andtransmitting a response signal including the address of the firstelectronic device to the second electronic device.

In one embodiment, an electronic device may include a controllerconfigured to detect a user action for designating a channel number,read a human address associated with the designated channel number froma human channel map in response to the detected user action, and controlacquisition of an address of an electronic device to access, based onthe read human address, and a network interface configured to receivecontent from the electronic device using the acquired address.

The electronic device may further include a display configured todisplay the received content. Moreover, the controller may be configuredto control transmitting a connection request signal including the humanaddress to a server, and control receiving the address of the electronicdevice from the server.

In one embodiment, an electronic device may include an interfaceconfigured to receive a user action, a controller configured to detect afirst user action for designating a human address, control displaying asecond GUI for designation of a channel number in response to thedetected first user action, detect a second user action for designatinga channel number, and control storing the human address, the channelnumber, and information associating the human address and the channelnumber with each other in a human channel map in response to thedetected second user action, and a storage device configured to storethe human channel map.

The interface may include at least one of an image capture device, atouch screen, a touch pad, or a remote controller receiver.

In one embodiment, a method of constructing a human channel map mayinclude displaying a GUI for setting up a channel, the displayed GUIincluding a human channel region listing at least one human address anda channel region listing at least one channel number, detecting a firstuser action for selecting one of the at least one human address,detecting a second user action for dragging the selected human address,detecting a third user action for selecting one of the at least onechannel number, and storing the selected human address, the selectedchannel number, and information associating the channel number and thehuman address with each other in the human channel map in response tothe detected third user action. The displayed GUI may further include abroadcast channel region including at least one broadcast channel and anApp channel region including at least one App channel.

In this embodiment, the human channel map constructing method mayfurther include confirming whether or not a human address associatedwith the selected channel number is present in the human channel map, inresponse to the detected third user action, and deleting the associatedhuman address, the selected channel number and information associatingthe associated human address and the selected channel number with eachother from the human channel map if the associated human address ispresent.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method ofmaking invitation to view a channel includes detecting a first useraction for selecting a displayed broadcast program, detecting a seconduser action for selecting one of at least one channel number included ina displayed human channel map, and transmitting a channel viewingrequest signal for requesting viewing of the selected broadcast programto an electronic device or a server associated with the selected channelnumber, in response to the second user action, and the transmittedchannel viewing request signal includes at least one of detailed userinformation, detailed information about a physical channel fortransmitting the broadcast program, a service name of the broadcastprogram, a service Identifier (ID) of the broadcast program, a channelnumber of the broadcast program, an event name of the broadcast program,a transport stream ID of the broadcast program, a network ID of thebroadcast program, information about a service provider providing thebroadcast program, information about a transmission medium fortransmitting the broadcast program or information about a nation or anarea where the service provider is located. The displayed human channelmap may further include at least one of a channel name, event name orresidual broadcast time of the broadcast program displayed by theelectronic device associated with the channel number.

The method may further include transmitting a channel guiding signal,including at least one of the channel name, event name or residualbroadcast time of the broadcast program, to the electronic device or theserver according to an access method associated with the channel numberincluded in the human channel map.

The method may further include receiving a channel viewing requestsignal from the electronic device, and confirming whether or not abroadcast service is receivable from a service provider indicated byinformation included in the received channel viewing request signal.

The method may further include searching for a channel, which broadcaststhe broadcast program indicated by information included in the receivedchannel viewing request signal, from stored Electronic Program Guide(EPG) data based on information included in the channel viewing requestsignal, if reception of the broadcast service from the service provideris not possible.

The method may further include receiving a channel viewing requestsignal from a server, receiving a broadcast program of a channelindicated by information included in the received channel viewingrequest signal, and displaying the received broadcast program.Information included in the channel viewing request signal may beinformation obtained as the server amends information included in thechannel viewing request signal received from the electronic deviceaccording to a difference of at least one of the service providerproviding the broadcast service, transmission medium or area.

The transmitting the signal to the electronic device may include readinga human address associated with the channel number from a stored humanchannel map, acquiring an address of the electronic device based on theread human address, and transmitting the channel viewing request signalusing the acquired address. The human address may include at least oneof an e-mail address, an account name, a family or and a SessionInitiation Protocol-Uniform Resource Locator (SIP-URL). The address ofthe electronic device may include at least one of a Media Access Control(MAC) address, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a port number, aDomain Name System (DNS) name or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

In accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure, anelectronic device includes an interface configured to receive a useraction, a controller configured to control displaying a broadcastprogram and a human channel map including at least one channel number,detect a first user action for selecting the broadcast program, detect asecond user action for selecting one of the at least one channel number,and control transmitting a channel viewing request signal for requestingviewing of the selected broadcast program to an electronic device or aserver associated with the selected channel number in response to thedetected second user action, and a network interface configured tooutput the channel viewing request signal, and the transmitted channelviewing request signal includes at least one of detailed userinformation, detailed information about a physical channel fortransmitting the broadcast program, a service name of the broadcastprogram, a service Identifier (ID) of the broadcast program, a channelnumber of the broadcast program, an event name of the broadcast program,a transport stream ID of the broadcast program, a network ID of thebroadcast program, information about a service provider providing thebroadcast program, information about a transmission medium fortransmitting the broadcast program or information about a nation or anarea where the service provider is located. The human channel map mayfurther include at least one of a channel name, event name or residualbroadcast time of the broadcast program displayed by the electronicdevice associated with the channel number.

The controller may be configured to control transmitting a channelguiding signal, including at least one of the channel name, event nameor residual broadcast time of the broadcast program, to the electronicdevice or the server according to an access method associated with thechannel number included in the human channel map.

The network interface may be configured to receive a channel viewingrequest signal from an electronic device, and the controller isconfigured to confirm whether or not a broadcast service is receivablefrom a service provider indicated by information included in thereceived channel viewing request signal.

The controller may be configured to search for a channel, whichbroadcasts the broadcast program indicated by information included inthe received channel viewing request signal, from stored ElectronicProgram Guide (EPG) data based on information included in the channelviewing request signal, if reception of the broadcast service from theservice provider is not possible.

The network interface may be configured to receive a channel viewingrequest signal from a server, and the controller may be configured tocontrol receiving a broadcast program of a channel indicated byinformation included in the received channel viewing request signal.Information included in the channel viewing request signal may beinformation obtained as the server amends information included in thechannel viewing request signal received from the electronic deviceaccording to a difference of at least one of the service providerproviding the broadcast service, transmission medium or area.

The controller may be configured to read a human address associated withthe channel number from a stored human channel map, acquire an addressof the electronic device based on the read human address, and controltransmitting the channel viewing request signal using the acquiredaddress. The human address may include at least one of an e-mailaddress, an account name, a family name or a Session InitiationProtocol-Uniform Resource Locator (SIP-URL). The address of theelectronic device may include at least one of a Media Access Control(MAC) address, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a port number, aDomain Name System (DNS) name or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a methodfor remotely viewing content at the same time includes displayingcontent, detecting a user action for requesting a simultaneous viewingmode, confirming the presence of an owner who is viewing the displayedcontent from among owners of human channels included in a human channelmap in response to the detected user action, and displaying a silhouetteof the confirmed owner. The displayed silhouette may be changed anddisplayed according to the emotions of the owner. The displayedsilhouette may be changed and displayed according to a motion of theowner. The silhouette may be displayed as a 3D image. A chat phrase ofthe owner may be displayed at a location associated with the silhouette.

The method for remotely viewing content at the same time may furtherinclude reflecting a screen effect requested by the owner on thedisplayed content.

The confirming the presence of the owner may include transmitting animage frame request signal to request an image frame at a particulartime, acquiring the image frame at the particular time from among imageframes of the displayed content, receiving an image frame transmissionsignal including the image frame at the particular time, and comparingthe acquired image frame with the image frame included in the receivedimage frame transmission signal so as to confirm the presence of theowner.

The confirming the presence of the owner may include transmitting anowner list request signal including information about the content to aserver, receiving an owner list from the server, and confirming an ownerincluded in the owner list as the owner who is viewing the displayedcontent. The information about the content may include at least one ofdetailed user information, detailed information about a physical channelthat transmits the content, a service name of the content, a service IDof the content, a channel number of the content, an event name of thecontent, a transport stream ID of the content, a network ID of thecontent, information about a service provider to provide the content,information about transmission media to transmit the content orinformation about a nation or locale where the service provider islocated.

The human channel map may include a channel number, a human address andinformation associating the channel number and the human address witheach other. The human address may be an identification mark given to theowner.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, anelectronic device includes an interface configured to receive a useraction for requesting a simultaneous viewing mode, and a controllerconfigured to confirm the presence of an owner who is viewing contentfrom among owners of human channels included in a human channel map inresponse to the user action if the user action is detected duringdisplay of the content and to control display of a silhouette of theconfirmed owner.

The controller may control change of the displayed silhouette accordingto the emotions of the owner and display of the changed silhouette.

The controller may control change of the displayed silhouette accordingto a motion of the owner and display of the changed silhouette.

The controller may control display of a chat phrase of the owner at alocation associated with the silhouette.

The controller may control reflection of a screen effect requested bythe owner on the displayed content.

The controller may control display of the silhouette as a 3D image.

The controller may control transmission of an image frame request signalfor requesting an image frame at a particular time, acquiring the imageframe at the particular time from among image frames of the displayedcontent, and if an image frame transmission signal including the imageframe at the particular time is received, comparing the acquired imageframe with the image frame included in the received image frametransmission signal so as to confirm the presence of the owner.

The controller may control transmission of an owner list request signalincluding information about the content to a server, and if an ownerlist is received from the server, confirming an owner included in theowner list as the owner who is viewing the displayed content.

The information about the content may include at least one of detaileduser information, detailed information about a physical channel totransmit the content, a service name of the content, a service ID of thecontent, a channel number of the content, an event name of the content,a transport stream ID of the content, a network ID of the content,information about a service provider to provide the content, informationabout a transmission media to transmit the content or information abouta nation or locale where the service provider is located.

The human channel map may include a channel number, a human address andinformation associating the channel number and the human address witheach other. The human address may be an identification mark given to theowner.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method ofproviding a channel map service includes displaying a first channel mapon a screen on which content is being displayed, detecting a first useraction for requesting channel map switch, and switching the displayedfirst channel map to a second channel map, in response to the detectedfirst user action. One of the first channel map and the second channelmap is a human channel map including at least one human channel. Thefirst user action may be an action in which a user presses one ofdirectional keys of a remote controller.

The switching to the human channel map may include displaying content ofone of human channels included in the human channel map.

The channel map service providing method may further include detecting athird user action for requesting channel switch in a state in which thehuman channel map is displayed, switching a selected human channel toanother human channel in the human channel map in response to thedetected third user action, and displaying content of the switched humanchannel.

The displaying may include reading a human address associated with achannel number of the human channel, acquiring an address of anelectronic device to access, based on the read human address, receivingthe content from the electronic device using the acquired address, anddisplaying the received content.

The channel map service providing method may further include detecting asecond user action for requesting channel map switch, and switching thedisplayed second channel map to a third channel map in response to thedetected second user action.

The channel map service providing method may further include detecting athird user action for requesting a full channel map, and displaying afull channel map including the at least one human channel, in responseto the detected third user action.

The displayed full channel map may further include at least onebroadcast channel and at least one App channel.

The displayed full channel map may include a sheet on which the at leastone human channel is marked, and the sheet is selected by a sheet tab.

The full channel map may include sheets on which the at least onebroadcast channel and the at least one App channel are markedrespectively.

The channel map service providing method may further include detecting athird user action for requesting a recently viewed channel map, anddisplaying a recently viewed channel map including a broadcast channel,a human channel and an App channel displayed within a preset period, inresponse to the detected third user action.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method ofproviding a channel map service includes detecting a first user actionfor requesting a channel map, and displaying a channel map including atleast one human channel in response to the detected first user action.The channel map may include a connection state mark indicating an onlinestate of an owner of the at least one human channel. The channel map mayfurther include at least one broadcast channel and at least one Appchannel.

The connection state mark may include a first connection state markindicating a first online state for representing whether or not theowner is online via an electronic device, and a second connection statemark indicating a second online state for representing whether or notthe owner is logged in to a server. Information about the first onlinestate may be received from the electronic device or the server.

The channel map service providing method may further includetransmitting information, indicating that the owner of the human channelis online via the electronic device, to at least one electronic deviceassociated with the at least one human channel or to the server.

The transmitting to the electronic device may include reading a humanaddress associated with a channel number from a stored human channelmap, acquiring an address of the electronic device based on the readhuman address, and transmitting information, indicating that the owneris online, using the acquired address. The human address may include atleast one of an e-mail address, an account name, a family name or aSession Initiation Protocol-Uniform Resource Locator (SIP-URL). Theaddress of the electronic device may include at least one of a MediaAccess Control (MAC) address, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a portnumber, a Domain Name System (DNS) name or a Uniform Resource Locator(URL).

In accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure, anelectronic device includes an interface configured to detect a useraction, and a controller configured to control displaying a firstchannel map on a screen on which content is being displayed, detect afirst user action for requesting channel map switch, and switch thedisplayed first channel map to a second channel map in response to thedetected first user action, and one of the first channel map and thesecond channel map is a human channel map including at least one humanchannel.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a methodfor providing a channel scan interface includes displaying a pluralityof menu items to select service types, detecting a user action forselecting one of the plurality of displayed menu items, scanninginformation to construct a channel of the service type indicated by theselected menu item in response to the detected user action, anddisplaying the result of scan. One of the service types may be a humanchannel. The service types may further include at least one of abroadcast channel or an App channel.

The scanning may include transmitting a signal to request informationabout a friend to a server and receiving the information about thefriend from the server. The information about the friend may include asingle SNS account, or may include one or more SNS accounts.

The displaying the result of scan may include displaying the single SNSaccount, or displaying at least one of the one or more SNS accounts.

The method for providing the channel scan interface may further includeassigning a first channel number to the single SNS account or to one ofthe one or more SNS accounts.

The method for providing the channel scan interface may further includeassigning the first channel number to at least one SNS account amongother SNS accounts of a friend associated with the SNS account to whichthe first channel number has been assigned.

The first channel number may be equal to a channel number assigned toanother SNS account of the friend associated with the single SNSaccount. The first channel number may be a channel number assigned to abroadcast channel or an App channel.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, anelectronic device includes a controller configured to control display ofa plurality of menu items for selecting service types, detect a useraction for selecting one of the plurality of displayed menu items,control scan of information to construct a channel of the service typeindicated by the selected menu item in response to the detected useraction, and a display to display the result of scan. One of the servicetypes may be a human channel.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a methodfor providing service information, includes receiving event informationincluding information about at least one event, mapping one of the atleast one events or one or more events to one of at least one channelnumbers by use of a channel map including the at least one channelnumber and at least one Social Network Service (SNS) account assigned tothe at least one channel number and an SNS account included in thereceived event information, and displaying one of the at least onechannel numbers or one or more channel numbers and at least a part ofinformation about the event mapped to one of the at least one channelnumbers or the one or more channel numbers. The event may be uploaded toan SNS site including the SNS account. The event may include at leastone of a schedule, a function, a memorial day or content. The eventinformation may include an SNS account associated with the event, andfurther includes at least one of information about an SNS site to whichthe event has been uploaded, information about the type of the event,the title of the event, the date of the event or detailed informationabout the event. The channel map may be a human channel map. At least apart of the displayed information may be the title of the event. Themethod may further include displaying at least one of an icon indicatingan SNS site to which the mapped event has been uploaded or an icon ofthe mapped event.

A broadcast channel may be further assigned to one of the at least onechannel numbers or the one or more channel numbers. A plurality of SNSaccounts may be assigned to one of the at least one channel numbers orthe one or more channel numbers.

One of the at least one events or one or more events may be mapped to achannel number, to which an SNS account associated with the event isassigned.

One of the at least one channel numbers or the one or more channelnumbers and at least a part of the displayed information may bedisplayed in a calendar form.

The calendar form may be configured such that the displayed one channelnumber or one or more channel numbers are listed in columns, dates arelisted in rows, and at least a part of the displayed information isdisplayed on a corresponding region on the basis of the channel numbercolumns and the date rows. At least a part of information about aplurality of events may be separately displayed on the region. Areminder mark may be further displayed on the region.

The method for providing service information may further includedetecting a first user action for selecting the region or a region onwhich the date is displayed, detecting a second user action for draggingthe selected region, detecting a third user action for dropping thedragged region, and displaying a particular date after a certain timehas elapsed in response to the detected third user action and at least apart of information about an event of the date.

The method for providing service information may further includedetecting a user action for selecting a region located at a row,containing a region on which a user channel number is displayed, fromamong a region on which one of the at least one channel numbers or theone or more channel numbers are displayed, and displaying a graphicaluser interface to produce an event in response to the detected useraction.

The method for providing service information may further includedetecting a user action for selecting a region on which at least a partof information about the mapped event is displayed, and displayingdetailed information about the event in response to the detected useraction.

The method for providing service information may further includedetecting a user action for selecting a region on which one of the atleast one channel numbers or the one or more channel numbers aredisplayed, and displaying content of a human channel indicated by thechannel number in response to the detected user action.

The method for providing service information may further includedetecting a user action for selecting a region on which at least a partof information about the mapped event is displayed, and displaying alist of at least one piece of content associated with the event inresponse to the detected user action.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure, anelectronic device includes a network interface configured to receiveevent information including information about at least one event, astorage unit configured to store at least one channel number and atleast one SNS account assigned to the at least one channel number, and acontroller configured to map one of the at least one events or one ormore events to one of the at least one channel numbers by use of thestored SNS account and an SNS account included in the received eventinformation and to construct a guide screen for displaying one of the atleast one channel numbers or the one or more channel numbers and atleast a part of information about the event mapped to one of the atleast one channel numbers or the one or more channel numbers.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Theappearances of such phrases in various places in the specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within thepurview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, orcharacteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

1. A multi-functional display device having a channel map comprising: adisplay; an input interface; a network interface for communicating withat least one second multi-functional display device; and a controllerfor controlling a display of the channel map and content associated witha channel selected in the channel map, wherein the channel map includesa first channel number associated with a broadcast channel and a channelname for the first channel, and a second channel number associated witha social network service (SNS) account for an individual or entity andan SNS channel name for the second channel.
 2. The multi-functionaldisplay device of claim 1, wherein the display includes a first regionconfigured to display content for at least one of a broadcast content,SNS account content or an application content, and a second regionconfigured to display the channel map.
 3. The multi-functional displaydevice of claim 2, wherein the channel map displayed in the secondregion of the display includes a first area displaying identifyinginformation for the selected channel, a second area displaying a type ofchannel, and a third area displaying a list of channels corresponding tothe type of channel selected in the second area.
 4. The multi-functionaldisplay device of claim 3, wherein the type of channel includes one ormore of a broadcast channel type, an SNS channel type or an applicationchannel type.
 5. The multi-functional display device of claim 1, whereinthe controller is configured to display the channel map to be a fullscreen image.
 6. The multi-functional display device of claim 1, whereinthe controller is further configured to detect selection of the secondchannel number, determine an address associated with the second SNSaccount, retrieve content associated with the second SNS account usingthe address, and display the received content.
 7. The multi-functionaldisplay device of claim 1, wherein the channel map includes at least oneindicator associated with the second channel that indicates an onlinestate of the individual or entity.
 8. The multi-functional displaydevice of claim 7, wherein the at least one indicator indicates whetherthe individual or entity is logged in at the SNS account on a server orwhether the individual or entity is logged in at a secondmulti-functional display device associated with the SNS account.
 9. Themulti-functional display device of claim 1, wherein the contentcorresponding to the second channel associated with the SNS accountincludes at least one of a broadcast program being displayed on a secondmulti-functional display device associated with the individual or entityor SNS content associated with the SNS account.
 10. A method fordisplaying a channel map in a multi-functional display devicecomprising: displaying content on a display; displaying a first channelmap on the display; detecting a first request to change the displayedchannel map; and changing the displayed first channel map to a secondchannel map in response to the first request, wherein at least one ofthe first channel map or the second channel map includes channelsassociated with a social network service (SNS) account for an individualor entity.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first request isgenerated in response to a selection of a key on a remote controller.12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second channel map associatedwith the SNS account includes a channel number and a channel nameassociated with the SNS account.
 13. The method of claim 10, furtherincluding detecting a selection of the channel number or the channelname in the second channel map; changing the channel in themulti-functional display device to the selected channel associated withthe SNS account; and displaying content associated with the SNS accounton the display.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the displayingcontent associated with the SNS account includes reading one or more SNSaccount addresses associated with the selected channel; acquiring anaddress for a second multi-functional display device based on the readSNS account addresses; retrieving the content associated with the SNSaccount from the second multi-functional display device; and displayingthe retrieved content associated with the SNS account on the display.15. The method of claim 10, further comprising: detecting a secondrequest to change the displayed channel map; and changing the displayedsecond channel map to a third channel map in response to the secondrequest.
 16. The method of claim 10, further including detecting a thirdrequest to display the channel map in a full screen mode; and displayingthe channel map in the full screen mode in response to the thirdrequest, wherein the full screen mode includes the channels associatedwith the SNS account.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the channelmap in the full screen mode further includes at least one broadcastchannel and at least one application channel.
 18. The method of claim16, wherein the channel map in the full screen mode includes a pluralityof tabs corresponding to a plurality of pages, each page displaying achannel map associated with at least one of a broadcast content, SNScontent, or application programs.
 19. The method of claim 18, whereinthe plurality of tabs include markings indicating a type of content, theplurality of tabs associated with different types of content.
 20. Themethod of claim 10, further comprising: detecting a third request for achannel map for recently viewed channels; and displaying the channel mapfor recently viewed channels includes a broadcast channel, a humanchannel and an App channel displayed within a prescribed time period inresponse to the third request.